By Daniel John Jambun, President Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)
KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) today expressed strong disappointment with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent statement that issues arising from the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be resolved “through talks, not confrontation.”
BoPiMaFo President Daniel John Jambun said such remarks trivialise the gravity of Sabah’s constitutional and historical claims, and dangerously suggest that fundamental state rights can be reduced to matters of political discretion.
“Let us be clear: the 40% entitlement for Sabah is not a demand, favour, or negotiation item — it is a constitutional right guaranteed under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution. The High Court has already ruled that the Federal Government acted unlawfully by failing to fulfil this obligation. That judgment must be implemented, not appealed,” Daniel said.
He added that Sabahans have never sought confrontation, only compliance with what was promised when the Federation was formed.
“It is not Sabah that is being confrontational — it is Putrajaya that has chosen to defy the Constitution by appealing a lawful judgment. When leaders in Kuala Lumpur speak of ‘dialogue’, what they really mean is delay,” he said.
Daniel said that relying on endless discussions under Fadillah Yusof’s so-called technical committee has yielded no meaningful progress since MA63 talks began.
“After six decades of ‘talks’, nothing substantive has changed. The Federal Government continues to decide unilaterally what Sabah should or should not receive. That is not negotiation — that is paternalism,” he stressed.
Daniel also took issue with Anwar’s claim that Putrajaya gives Sabah RM17 billion a year, which he said was misleading.
“That figure includes education, health, and security — areas under the Federal List. Those are national duties, not handouts. Sabah’s 40% entitlement is a fiscal formula designed to give the state autonomy to manage its own development, not charity from Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
BoPiMaFo further reminded the Prime Minister that the 40% net revenue entitlement was the core assurance that persuaded Sabah to join the Federation in 1963.
“To treat that obligation as negotiable is to betray the very spirit of MA63. This is not about confrontation — it is about the restoration of a legal right that has been denied for nearly half a century,” Daniel said.
He added that true unity in Malaysia cannot exist without equality, and equality cannot exist when one partner in the Federation must beg for what the Constitution already guarantees.
“The Prime Minister must stop speaking as if compliance with the Constitution is optional. Justice for Sabah is not achieved through slogans about Madani or cooperation — it is achieved through action, restitution, and respect for the rule of law,” Daniel concluded.
