SEPTEMBER 24 — Does Sarawak and Sabah want to break away from Malaysia? It’s hard to answer.
According to the Department of Statistics, there are 2.62 million Sarawakians and 3.5 million Sabahans as of 2013. Short of a state-wide survey, who can legitimately claim to accurately represent the wishes of over 6 million people?
It is interesting to ponder considering minister Nancy Shukri’s remarks on Monday, when she said there is no need for a referendum to determine how many East Malaysians want out of the federation.
“I don’t think there is a need for that yet,” Nancy was reported as saying by The Sun. ”There is no need for a referendum because there are more people talking about being in Malaysia, rather than out of Malaysia.”
However, if the majority really does want to stay in the federation — which I think is likely the case — then on the contrary that is all the more reason to have a referendum similar to Scotland’s day of democracy last week.
A pertinent consideration is the point that Sarawak and Sabah waived the right to secede from the federation by agreeing to the Malaysia Agreement in 1963, which some argue is illegal as self-determination is a major principle of international law, a right recognised by the United Nations.
But since that is a wholly separate debate, let’s pretend for a moment that Sarawak and Sabah didn’t waive the right to secede. The point of Scotland’s referendum last week was ultimately to let Scots have a choice: stay in the United Kingdom or strike out on their own.
In the end, the silent majority in Scotland spoke and a majority wanted to stay.
And that is the same reason for having a referendum for Sarawak and Sabah. Let it come to an opinion poll and see what people really think about the two states’ place in the federation.
If the people making increasingly loud noises in Sabah and Sarawak about secession are in fact in the minority, a public opinion poll that indisputably proves this would silence them decisively by disproving an essential cornerstone of their claim: that many want to leave.
There are two immediately visible upsides to conducting a public opinion poll.
First, Putrajaya can try to entrench its position in the East through the exercise. Having a public poll would be a breakaway from its recent heavy-handedness via the Sedition Act, demonstrating instead tact, diplomacy and understanding in defusing an increasingly dangerous conversation.
The days of government knows best are over, or so the prime minister claimed, and this is a chance for Putrajaya to show a willingness to listen to the East Malaysian public too. Attraction, persuasion and co-option win hearts and minds — aggressiveness, dismissiveness and coercion alienate.
Second, a public opinion poll that clearly leans towards staying within the federation would be a massive setback for those pushing the separation agenda. If the majority is conclusively shown to favour staying then separatists would lose much ground in making claims that secession is a good idea.
Judging by the last general elections, Sarawak and Sabah would likely vote overwhelmingly in favour of staying anyway. At present an opposite outcome would only be possible if state leaders themselves are in favour of separation and that is not the case.
So why should we be so quick to close that door?
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
