By Daniel John Jambun, President Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)
KOTA KINABALU: Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) welcomes Datuk Sri Hajiji Noor and the Sabah Government’s recognition that the youth are strategic partners in the State’s development. Every Sabahan shares the aspiration of seeing our young people become leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs and responsible custodians of Sabah’s future.
However, genuine empowerment of Sabah’s youth requires far more than education, employment and economic opportunities. It also requires safeguarding the constitutional and democratic foundations upon which their future depends.
The greatest question facing Sabah’s younger generation is not simply whether they will have jobs tomorrow, but whether they will continue to determine the political future of their own homeland.
For decades, Sabah has lived with unresolved concerns arising from the issue commonly referred to as “Project IC”, together with questions surrounding the integrity of the electoral roll that have been raised in public discourse and examined by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah.
If these constitutional concerns are not fully, transparently and lawfully resolved, future generations may inherit a Sabah where political representation is increasingly influenced by demographic changes whose legality and legitimacy continue to be questioned.
That is not merely a political issue.
It is a constitutional issue.
It is a democratic issue.
It is an issue of intergenerational justice.
The youth of Sabah deserve the assurance that every election truly reflects the will of legitimate citizens and that the constitutional safeguards promised to Sabah are faithfully honoured.
BoPiMaFo therefore calls upon all Sabah youths, regardless of ethnicity or religion, to become informed, engaged and active participants in defending constitutional government, democratic accountability and the rule of law.
The future of Sabah cannot be secured through indifference or complacency.
BoPiMaFo further urges every young Sabahan to read and study the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah together with its Notes of Proceedings. Before forming opinions about Sabah’s future, our young people should familiarise themselves with the evidence, sworn testimonies and findings contained in these public records.
An informed generation is a stronger generation. Only by understanding our constitutional history and the issues that have shaped Sabah can our youth make wise decisions for the generations that will follow.
To the Momogun youth in particular, we say this:
Your forefathers entrusted this land to your generation. It is now your solemn responsibility to safeguard its constitutional rights, democratic institutions and future prosperity.
Never allow yourselves to become strangers in your own homeland, nor slaves in your own house.
Equip yourselves with knowledge. Understand your constitutional rights. Participate actively in the democratic process. Defend the rule of law with wisdom, courage and integrity. The future of Sabah will not be secured by ignorance or indifference, but by an informed generation prepared to shoulder its responsibilities.
Do not wait until it is too late to defend what previous generations struggled to preserve.
Do not assume that others will protect your future for you.
The responsibility now rests with your generation.
We are not asking Sabah’s youth to fight the battles of yesterday.
We are asking them to safeguard the future of tomorrow.
The decisions made over the next decade will shape Sabah for generations to come. Whether Sabah’s future remains firmly in the hands of its legitimate citizens will depend on the vigilance, participation and constitutional commitment of today’s youth.
Before we conclude, BoPiMaFo wishes to make one point absolutely clear.
This statement is not founded upon political rhetoric or partisan slogans.
It is founded upon publicly available constitutional documents, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Illegal Immigrants in Sabah, its Notes of Proceedings, official government records and other materials available in the public domain.
We therefore encourage every Sabahan—especially the younger generation—not to accept our views uncritically.
Read the documents. Examine the evidence. Study Sabah’s constitutional history. Understand the findings of the RCI. Then arrive at your own informed conclusions.
Read the RCI carefully and judge for yourselves how the evidence, sworn testimonies and official records explain the decisions and actions that have shaped Sabah’s present circumstances. Do not allow others to write your history or think on your behalf. An informed people are far better placed to identify both the leaders who upheld Sabah’s constitutional interests and those whose decisions they believe fell short of that responsibility.
An informed citizen is the strongest guardian of democracy.
An informed generation is the greatest protector of Sabah’s future.
The future of Sabah deserves to be shaped by constitutional truth, the rule of law, informed democratic participation and good governance—not by ignorance, misinformation or empty political rhetoric.
History will judge this generation not by what it inherited, but by what it chose to protect.
The Sabah you inherit tomorrow depends on the knowledge you acquire today, the courage you demonstrate tomorrow, and the commitment you uphold throughout your lifetime.
We are not fighting the battle of yesterday.
We are safeguarding the future of Sabah.
