By DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN, President Change Advocate Movement of Sabah (CAMOS)
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans are once again being asked to forget history.
With Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) choosing not to contest the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat and the Lamag state seat, UMNO is effectively being given a clear and uncontested path to return to power in Sabah.
CAMOS asks a simple but painful question:
When will Sabah finally learn from its own mistakes?
24 Years of UMNO/BN Rule — Sabah Paid a Heavy Price
Sabah endured 24 years of Barisan Nasional rule dominated by UMNO.
That period should have transformed Sabah.
Instead, it left Sabah weaker, poorer, and more divided.
Under UMNO/BN:
Sabah remained one of Malaysia’s poorest states
Rural areas such as Kinabatangan and Lamag were neglected
Corruption became a culture, not an exception
State institutions were weakened rather than strengthened
This is not political rhetoric.
This is Sabah’s lived reality.
Project IC — Betrayal of the 1963 Federal Compact
CAMOS states this with full historical responsibility:
Project IC was not merely a political crime or a violation of the Constitution —
it was a betrayal of the 1963 Federal Compact that formed Malaysia.
Sabah joined Malaysia in 1963 based on clear assurances, safeguards, and guarantees — including control over immigration, protection of identity, and the right to determine its own political future.
Project IC destroyed the foundation of that agreement.
Through Project IC:
Illegal immigrants were granted citizenship unlawfully
Sabah’s immigration control was systematically undermined
The demographic composition of Sabah was altered without consent
The political rights of indigenous Sabahans were diluted
Electoral outcomes were manipulated through manufactured voters
This was not an administrative oversight.
It was a deliberate political operation that took place under UMNO’s watch.
A Crime Against the Constitution and Democracy
Project IC turned the Constitution into a tool of manipulation instead of protection.
Citizenship was issued unlawfully
Democracy was corrupted when indigenous votes were rendered unequal
Sabah’s popular sovereignty was stolen through forged documents and abuse of power
When citizenship can be traded, democracy collapses.
When elections are manipulated, the sovereignty of the people is destroyed.
This was a crime against the very foundations of the state, not a technical failure.
RCI Confirmed the Truth — But Justice Never Followed
The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) confirmed what Sabahans had long known:
Illegal issuance of identity cards did occur
Syndicates and organised networks were involved
Enforcement failures were systemic, not accidental
The RCI proved that Project IC was neither a myth nor political propaganda.
Yet to this day:
Political masterminds were never punished
The networks that corrupted democracy were never fully dismantled
The damage inflicted on Sabah has never been repaired
Truth was revealed — but justice was never delivered.
Yayasan Sabah — From State Pride to Decline
Yayasan Sabah was established to safeguard the state’s wealth for education and future generations.
After decades under UMNO/BN:
Assets were mismanaged
Revenue-generating capacity declined
Its mission to uplift Sabahans was severely weakened
A party that failed to protect Yayasan Sabah does not deserve a second chance.
SFI & Pitas Prawn Farm — Economic Failures Sabah Cannot Erase
Sabah Forest Industries (SFI), once among Sabah’s largest industrial assets, collapsed into bankruptcy due to prolonged mismanagement.
The Pitas Prawn Farm, promoted as a flagship rural development project, ended in financial disaster.
These were not isolated incidents.
They were symptoms of systemic governance failure under UMNO/BN.
Corruption Was the System, Not the Exception
For 24 years, Sabah witnessed:
Abuse of state land and natural resources
Cronyism and political patronage
Widespread leakages
A complete lack of accountability
Kinabatangan and Lamag did not fail.
They were failed by the system UMNO built.
More Parliamentary Seats — But For Whose Benefit?
Today, Sabah and Sarawak are demanding additional parliamentary seats.
CAMOS issues a clear warning:
What is the use of more seats if they are won by Malaya-based parties?
If additional seats only strengthen parties whose loyalty lies in Putrajaya:
Sabah gains numbers but loses influence
Representation becomes symbolic, not meaningful
Sabah’s rights remain negotiable and deferrable
More seats mean nothing if Sabah continues to vote against its own interests.
GRS Standing Down Does Not Erase History
Political arrangements between parties do not bind voters.
History does not disappear simply because UMNO is given a free path in a by-election.
Kinabatangan and Lamag do not owe UMNO another chance.
They are owed truth, memory, and accountability.
CAMOS’ Message to Sabahans
> How many times must Sabah repeat the same mistake
before we admit the lesson has not been learned?
Sabah cannot move forward by returning power to a party that:
Normalised corruption
Weakened state institutions
Bankrupted strategic state assets
Betrayed the 1963 Federal Compact through Project IC
Failed Sabah for 24 long years
Reject UMNO in Kinabatangan and Lamag.
Not out of hatred — but out of memory.
Not out of emotion — but out of responsibility.
Sabah must stop recycling failure.
