By Social Activist Remy Majangkim
KOTA KINABALU: Vote for a local party. That is the battle cry echoing across the battlegrounds.
So, what is the definition of a regional party in the upcoming Sabah State election? Who are they, one may ask?
To answer these questions, we need to ask fundamental questions about political maturity. Are you politically mature when answering these questions?
Political maturity can be defined as “accepting facts” before making an informed decision, ultimately leading to voting in the upcoming state election.
It boils down to the performance and ability of such a political party to deliver the people’s will and fight for the Sabah’s forgotten rights under the Malaysian Agreement of 1963.
In the context of the government system, the State of Sabah is under a trusteeship system and registered with the United Nations Trusteeship Council. Our position with Malaysia is an equal partner in the formation of Malaysia.
The Federation of Malaya is responsible for raising and preparing us for self-government and eventual independence as a trustee.
This conclusion was reached by United Nations representatives before the commencement date of the Malaysia Agreement, which was delayed from August 31, 1963, to September 16, 1963.
So what is our status in the Federation of Malaysia? We were “federated with” the Federation of Malaya; hence, changes were made in the Malayan Constitution to include new states (Borneo States and Singapore) in the mix that is to be called the new Federal Constitution, under the Federation of Malaysia.
Why does the wording in the Malaysia Act, Chapter 35, specifically mention the term “federated with,” which effectively made our status in the federation a confederation system?
This indicates that existing laws are aligned with the respective state constitution to be a ready-made country, so federal law could not override within the context of the agreed-upon and signed Malaysian Agreement.
Consequentially, it is important to understand that the Borneo States and Singapore (before the exit) were not part of the Federation of Malaya signed on August 31, 1957.
Those are different agreements set up by the British with the Malay ruler back in 1957.
(In a treaty or agreement, the key elements are the involved parties and the commencement date.)
Now let us dwell on the history associated with Malaysia. The Malaysia agreement was put on hold during the declaration of the emergency ordinance after the racial riot in Kuala Lumpur that spread all over Malaya.
But it was all peaceful in the Borneo States until the removal of the then Chief Minister of Sarawak, Stephen Kalong Ningkan. So it begins the longest emergency ordinance from 1969 to 2011, at 42 years.
During the emergency period, all power was shifted to the federal government under Public Order and Crime Prevention. So it begins the dismantling of Borneo rights during this period.
From 2011 to 2018, the people of Sabah had grown tired of the control by Malaya through the Malayan-based party in power.
So a party emerged out of the dust after a series of events leading up to the birth of the local party.
They had won the state election and held no official alliance with the new federal government, but they worked closely in amicable conditions.
So, during its brief tenure as a state government, it successfully reclaimed 17 out of 21 rights from the new federal government. That is a far cry in comparison to the past state governments over the years.
“The Malaysia Agreement has been signed by all parties involved, so there is no room for renegotiations. It is all about implementation.
In conclusion, we need a local political party that will fight for our rights, understand them, and pursue them relentlessly with the Federal Government. It is important to understand our status and the entire historical events and vote wisely.”
