KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 ― Pushing for secession is not a realistic option for Johor, Sabah or Sarawak as it would be considered a crime under the country’s laws, an academic has said amid the recent threat of secession by the Johor crown prince.

Professor Andrew Harding, director of the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the National University of Singapore wrote in the East Asia Forum web site that the federal government should, however, consider devolution of powers to Sabah and Sarawak.

“Secession is not realistic for Johor, or even for Sabah or Sarawak. Advocating secession constitutes the crime of sedition in Malaysia, making it difficult to create momentum behind a secession movement,” he wrote.

Harding said the Johor princes have said that secession is possible only if the federal government does not honour the federation agreement, which involves guaranteeing Islam as the state religion, non-interference by the federation in the Johor constitution and maintenance of the state’s armed forces.

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And since all these aspects of the agreement are currently being met, there is no case for Johor’s secession, he said.

As for Sabah and Sarawak, Harding said it is unlikely that both states in East Malaysia can manage as independent entities, given its dependency on the federal government and underdevelopment.

With resources that will deplete and constant border threats especially in Sabah’s east coast, he argued that the two states would not be able to survive on its own.

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Harding’s proposed solution is to afford more powers to both states to instil a sense of ownership while improve governance through a better understanding of local problems, similar to the trend in many other countries in Asia.

He stressed that even a state as small as Singapore has its town councils while Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and China all devolved more power than Malaysia, “whose federal and local government structures are stuck in a 1960s time warp”.

“The federal government needs to rethink its powers in the new politics. After half a century of tight control it needs to let go.

“A proper interface with state government is needed. Delegation of statutory powers and use of the flexibility afforded by the constitution will help,” he said.