KOTA KINABALU: The proposal for the formation of the Borneo Bloc should not be interpreted as an attempt to dominate the Peninsula, stated the Gagasan Rakyat Information Chief, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan.
He said that this is a legitimate and mature political effort to align the voices of Sabah and Sarawak in advocating for the interests of the Borneo people in a more organised manner in Parliament.
“Through a healthy federal system, cooperation among regions to strengthen negotiation positions is common and should not be viewed negatively,” he said in a statement today.
Nizam made these comments in response to former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who claimed that Sabah and Sarawak are using the Borneo Bloc proposal to reinforce political control at the federal level.
Nizam emphasised that this matter should be viewed in the context of history and the spirit of Malaysia’s formation.
He noted that it is important to remember that the foundation of Malaysia’s formation in 1963 was based on the principle of sharing among regions.
“Although Sabah and Sarawak were under British administration at that time, the inclusion of both regions in the Federation of Malaysia was made through clear negotiations accompanied by guarantees of certain protections to safeguard identity, administrative autonomy, and the interests of local people.
“These guarantees are enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which serves as the foundation of our nation.
“Issues such as immigration powers, petroleum revenue, the demand for 40 percent of the net federal revenue, and several matters related to the implementation of MA63 are not excessive privileges,” he stated.
Nizam asserted that all of this is part of the original commitments agreed upon during the formation of Malaysia, thus the ongoing efforts to demand and strengthen the implementation of these matters align with the spirit of a fair and balanced Federation.
