KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — The 47 MPs from Sabah and Sarawak should set aside their political differences and band together to pressure the federal government to abide by the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and recognise the status of both states as equal partners in the federation, Penampang MP Darell Leiking said today.
The PKR lawmaker said the time has come for parliamentarians from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition’s so-called fixed deposit states to stand and be counted, and not simply complain when things do not go their way.
“Why not just form that Borneo pact of 47 MPs from this side and decide who forms the central government and get back what we should have had since 1963,” he said when debating the 2016 Budget.
“This is that chance,” he added in his speech, delivered in English.
Leaders from the country’s two largest states have long complained of being sidelined by Putrajaya, be it in terms of development or in the distribution of wealth and education, among various issues.
Politicians, including those from BN member parties, have consistently questioned the control exerted by the central government on Sabah and Sarawak affairs and sought for greater autonomy, which they claim is enshrined under the Malaysia Agreement and the annexed Inter Governmental Committee (IGC) report.
Despite the grouses, both states have consistently delivered strong results for the ruling coalition at the national polls, especially in 2008 and 2013 when the opposition saw a historic increase in representation in Parliament that denied the BN a two-thirds majority over both terms.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also made overtures in recent months promising greater autonomy to both states.
Leiking today claimed that by taking charge of the future of both Sabah and Sarawak, MPs in his proposed Borneo pact will at the same time do the nation a service by helping fellow Malaysians in the peninsula who are faced with rising racism and bigotry.
“Save our friends from West Malaysia who are facing a polarised environment with bigots threatening racial disharmony and running around asking some of us to leave this Federation that belongs to each and everyone of us.
“Save our economy as the Sarawak CM said, he and Sarawak has nothing to do with the 1MDB fiasco,” he said, referring to Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and troubled state-owned firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
“Yes, Sabahans and Sarawakians have nothing to do with it but we are suffering the consequence of it economically and you can only see how businesses have greatly been impacted by this back home,” the MP added.
