By Daniel John Jambun, BoPiMaFo
KOTA KINABALU: Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) strongly rejects the Prime Minister’s statement that *“Malaysia’s strength lies in unity, not just resources.”*
Let us be blunt:
**Sabah does not need lectures on unity. Sabah needs justice.**
*1. Unity Without Justice Is Hypocrisy*
For over 60 years, Sabah has upheld unity — peacefully, faithfully, and without question.
But what has Sabah received in return?
* Its *constitutional 40% revenue entitlement ignored for decades*
* Its resources extracted to enrich the federation
* Its development lagging far behind despite immense natural wealth
And now, after all this, Sabahans are told that unity is more important than resources?
*This is not unity. This is exploitation dressed up as moral advice.*
*2. If Resources Don’t Matter — Why Take Them?*
The Prime Minister says Malaysia’s strength is not just about resources.
Then a simple question must be asked:
*If resources are not important, why has the Federal Government taken so much from Sabah — and returned so little?*
Sabah’s oil, gas, timber and land have generated enormous wealth.
Yet:
* Sabah remains among the poorest states
* Basic infrastructure gaps persist
* Rural communities are still underserved
This is not due to lack of unity.
*This is the result of decades of federal control over Sabah’s wealth without fair redistribution.*
*3. Do Not Speak of Unity While Damaging Sabah’s Demography*
It is deeply troubling that calls for unity are made while one of the most serious injustices in Sabah remains unresolved:
*The systematic distortion of Sabah’s demographic composition.*
The RCI on Illegal Immigrants confirmed:
* Irregular issuance of identity cards
* Administrative manipulation
* Failure of enforcement
The consequences are undeniable:
* Electoral imbalance
* Social tension
* Loss of trust in institutions
*Unity cannot be built on a foundation that Sabahans themselves do not recognise as legitimate.*
*4. Words Say “Unity” — Actions Say the Opposite*
The contradiction is glaring.
The Federal Government speaks of:
* Unity
* MA63 commitments
* Respect for Sabah
But in reality:
It *files appeals against court decisions enforcing Sabah’s rights* It *seeks to delay implementation through legal manoeuvres*
It *continues to centralise control over Sabah’s resources*
You cannot preach unity while actively resisting justice.*
5. Sabah Is Not Weak — It Has Been Weakened*
Let this be stated clearly:
Sabah is not poor because it lacks unity.
Sabah is poor because it has been systematically denied what is rightfully its own.
Sabah entered Malaysia based on:
Constitutional guarantees
Financial safeguards
Mutual respect between equal partners
What Sabah has experienced instead is:
*delay, dilution, and denial.*
Conclusion: Respect Sabah — Don’t Patronise It
BoPiMaFo reminds the Prime Minister:
Sabahans are not confused.
Sabahans are not divided.
Sabahans are not the problem.
The problem is a long-standing failure to:
Honour constitutional obligations
Return what is rightfully Sabah’s
Address structural injustices honestly
Do not ask Sabah to value unity while its rights are being contested in court.
Do not speak of harmony while ignoring decades of imbalance.
And most importantly:
*Do not mistake Sabah’s patience for acceptance.*
If the Federal Government is truly sincere:
Stop the legal resistance against Sabah’s 40% entitlement
Implement MA63 in substance, not slogans
Address the demographic issue decisively
Only then can unity be real.
Until then, it remains rhetoric.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Jesselton Times.
