By Daniel John Jambun, President Change Advocate Movement of Sabah (CAMOS)
KOTA KINABALU: CAMOS notes the recent media reports suggesting that the Democratic Action Party (DAP) is reconsidering its position within the MADANI Government following its complete defeat in the Sabah state election.
While DAP’s internal reassessment is understandable, this moment should also serve as a wake-up call for the party to reflect honestly on its political role in Sabah and Sarawak.
For many years, DAP’s engagement in the Borneo states has been inconsistent, poorly rooted, and often misunderstood by local communities.
The party’s total wipe-out in Sabah is not merely an electoral setback — it is a clear message from the people of Sabah that Peninsular-based parties must respect the political autonomy of the East Malaysian states.
Time for DAP to Stay Clear of Sabah and Sarawak Politics
CAMOS firmly believes that the most responsible and constructive path forward is for DAP to:
Stay clear of direct political participation in Sabah and Sarawak, allowing local political parties — born from local history, culture, and aspirations — to lead the political landscape of their own states.
Refocus its political energy in West Malaysia,
where the party’s social base, organisational strength, and political mission are strongest.
Engage Sabah and Sarawak only at the federal level, in ways that respect the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the spirit of equal partnership, and each state’s democratic right to shape its own political destiny.
The failure to win even a single seat in Sabah is a clear democratic verdict: Sabahans want local voices, not imported political models.
The same sentiment has long existed in Sarawak, which has consistently shown a strong preference for home-grown political leadership.
A Call for Genuine Partnership, Not Political Encroachment
CAMOS emphasises that our position is not anti-DAP.
Sabah and Sarawak welcome cooperation with any national party — including DAP — as long as such cooperation respects our autonomy.
Malaysia’s political stability depends on recognising that Sabah and Sarawak are not mere “vote banks” or extensions of Peninsular political dynamics.
We are founding partners of the Federation with distinct rights, cultures, and governance structures.
If DAP wishes to rebuild its reform credentials, the first reform should be respecting the political space of East Malaysia.
Conclusion
CAMOS urges DAP to treat the Sabah election outcome as more than a warning — it is a democratic mandate telling the party to return its focus to West Malaysia while forging a healthier, more respectful partnership with Sabah and Sarawak.
Reform begins with understanding boundaries.
A stronger Malaysia begins with respecting the autonomy of Sabah and Sarawak.
