By Daniel John Jambun
President
Change Advocate Movement Sabah (CAMOS)
KOTA KINABALU: GRS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai statement, Borneo Post, 22nd August 2025, refers.
Warisan reaffirms it’s position: Warisan struggle is clear and consistent — to defend the rights of the people of Sabah, protect the dignity of our state, and reject hypocritical politics that only serve the interests of a few leaders.
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai can accuse Warisan all he wants, but the people know the truth. A leader abandoned by his own supporters is not a victim — it is proof of incompetence, betrayal, and failure. That is the true face of Hajiji and GRS.
The 2023 Political Crisis — Warisan Had Nothing To Do With Bung-Hajiji Tussle
Joniston’s accusation that Warisan and PKDM were hypocrites in January 2023 is a blatant lie. The crisis was a power struggle between Bung Moktar’s Umno and Hajiji’s Bersatu faction. Warisan had nothing to do with it.
In fact, when Hajiji’s government was on the verge of collapse, Hajiji himself came knocking on Shafie Apdal’s door begging to form a coalition government with Warisan. Out of principle, Shafie rejected this offer because Bersatu under Muhyiddin had already betrayed Sabahans in 2020, toppling the Warisan government and forcing an election.
If anyone is guilty of hypocrisy, it is Hajiji and his GRS allies, not Warisan.
The Real Hypocrisy — GRS’ Marriage With Malaya Parties
Joniston dares accuse Warisan of hypocrisy, but the reality is this:
Today, GRS survives only because of Pakatan Harapan (PH), led by Malaya-based parties PKR and DAP.
Hajiji clings to power because Anwar Ibrahim saved him. Without PH, GRS would have collapsed.
GRS once shouted “Sabah for Sabahans,” but today they are nothing more than subcontractors of Putrajaya, dependent on Anwar to stay in office.
That is the biggest hypocrisy of all.
Poverty and Inequality — GRS’ So-Called “Stability” Fails the People
According to DOSM 2023 data, Sabah remains the poorest state in Malaysia with a poverty rate of 19.5%, nearly five times higher than Selangor (3.7%). Seven out of the 10 poorest districts in Malaysia are in Sabah.
Despite record state revenues of RM7 billion in 2024, ordinary Sabahans still suffer from:
Frequent blackouts — over 300 power outage incidents a year (SESB data).
Water shortages — 40% of rural households still without clean water.
Neglected infrastructure — more than 1,200 km of roads in urgent need of repair.
This is the “stability” GRS is so proud of — stability of poverty, stagnation, and neglect.
MA63 Betrayal — Sabah’s Rights Traded Away
Under MA63, Sabah is entitled to 40% of net federal revenue collected from the state. Yet:
Sarawak has secured over RM4 billion annually from oil and gas deals with Petronas.
Sabah, under Hajiji, gets less than RM1 billion, much of it in one-off payments dressed up as “interim” solutions.
GRS has failed to demand Sabah’s rightful share. They remain silent to keep their federal positions intact.
JKDM Hypocrisy — GRS Also Complicit
Joniston slams Warisan for not opposing the JKDM scheme. But when Anwar bulldozed JKDM into Sabah, did Hajiji withdraw GRS ministers from the federal cabinet? Did PBS, STAR, or SAPP quit in protest? No. They stayed, enjoying positions while pretending to resist.
That is the real hypocrisy.
Warisan’s Consistency in Defending Sabah
Unlike GRS, Warisan has a clear and proven record:
Introduced and enforced oil and gas sales tax in 2019, generating hundreds of millions for Sabah.
Consistently demanded Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement under MA63.
Exposed and resisted the 2020 betrayal, when Bersatu toppled the democratically elected Warisan government.
The Way Forward
What GRS calls “stability” is in reality:
Stability of silence — Sarawak secures billions, Sabah secures excuses.
Stability of subservience — federal agencies dictate Sabah’s policies while GRS nods along.
Stability of stagnation — poverty, youth unemployment, and migration of 30,000 Sabahans a year.
Sabah does not need GRS’ false “stability.” Sabah needs leadership that is courageous, principled, and visionary — leadership that fights for rights, dignity, and the future of our people.
That is what Warisan offers: not empty slogans, not betrayal, but real struggle, real results, and real hope for Sabah.
