By Remy Majangkim
KOTA KINABALU: Raise the Jolly Roger, or as the French say, “Jolie Rogue”. This flag stands for defiance and rebellion.
Datuk Ewon Benedict’s recent decision to resign from the Cabinet and announce that UPKO will contest the upcoming state election alone has deeply unsettled Pakatan Harapan.
This brings to mind a TV series called “Black Sails”. It was based loosely on the novel Treasure Island; it is an expanded universe about the struggle of the people to be independent and self-governing in the Caribbean Islands during the golden age of piracy.
Ewon has gathered his ships and exchanged his hats with a defiant stance and is ready for a swashbuckling adventure and works with other locally based political parties.
James Chin, a professor and political analyst, was right to predict that to have an educated guess on the trajectory of the state election, a good tell sign will be on the nomination day.
Ewon calculated moves stemming from the position of the Federal Government to appeal to the Sabah High Court decision on Sabah’s 40% constitutional entitlement.
The Prime Minister was quick to dispel the fact that it would be left to the cabinet to decide.
But his antics were different during the walkabout in Gaya Street; we see a brave man confronted PMX on the 40% but was literally talked down with a half-truth answer.
This is not the first time he has done so, as he did the same stunt during last year’s and this year’s Harvest Festival.
These events were attended by UPKO members, and the resentment has grown larger ever since.
The Democratic Action Party announced it would field eight candidates, with a glaring anomaly. Two of the candidates are serving Members of Parliament and are now venturing into the state election. It was also seen that the Menteri Besar of Johor and others from UMNO attended meetings for the line-up of their candidates in the states. This reminds me of Article 161E of the Federal Constitution, which says that Sabah and Sarawak should not be equated with the rest of the states in Malaya. So why does a lesser state beam with anticipation and meddle with our affairs?
Bridget Welsh, in his recent analysis, stated that there will be a 6% rise in young voters in Sabah. We both conclude that the main battlefield will be in the Northwest of Sabah, which has 1/3 of the 73 seats available.
Small significant skirmishes will happen in Sandakan, notably in Tanjung Papat, Elopura, Karamunting, Sungai Manila, and Sekong. These are DAP and UMNO strongholds. The mountainous region of Sabah will be dubbed the battle of the head-hunters’ areas, such as Liawan, Tambunan, Tulid, Karanaan, Paginatan, and Kundasang.
Let us reflect for a moment. As a man, their role is to be the head of the family, or for a party, it is to sacrifice oneself for their family. This is self-giving, and their job is to ensure there is food on the table, their family is protected, and they stand in front against an adversary.
We need to stand united to fight for Sabah’s rights and attain our lost rights. We are fighting an uphill battle against well-organised and funded entities across the ocean. Everything seems to be a lost cause, but we have one advantage: the game will be on home ground.
Like the characters in Black Sails, the TV series, Long John Silver, Captain Flint, Captain Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Eleanor Guthrie, Captain Anne Bonny, Captain Rackham, Max and Miranda Barlow, and Captain Charles Vane all have one thing in common: self-determination.
So, your vote counts, and it matters.
