KOTA BELUD: The President of PERPADUAN, Gundohing Jack Giau, has welcomed the suggestion by Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, the President of Parti STAR, to rename the position of “Chief Minister” of Sabah to “Premier”, in line with the original spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He stated that this proposal is not merely a change of terminology, but a significant step towards recognising Sabah’s true status as a founding partner in the formation of Malaysia.
Additionally, he mentioned that PERPADUAN also proposes that the title of Yang di-Pertua (TYT) be changed to “Yang di-Pertua Negara Sabah”, in accordance with constitutional spirit and the principle of self-determination as outlined in the United Nations Resolution 1541 and detailed in the Inter-Governmental Committee Report 1962 (IGC Report).
Giau stressed that the state government’s administrative structure needs to be strengthened to reflect Sabah’s status.
In this regard, he stated that the position of Assistant Minister should be upgraded to Deputy Minister, to better represent the level of responsibility, authority, and the higher, more dignified status of administration.
PERPADUAN asserts that Sabah’s original status within the Federation of Malaysia must be fully restored, he said.
Since 1976, the people of Sabah have reportedly undergone a process of status reduction and the marginalization of significant historical facts.
In this context, PERPADUAN calls on all Sabah leaders to unite in defending the rights of the state and to respect the foundations of Malaysia’s formation.
The success of the 40% revenue claim demonstrates that MA63 is not just a historical document, but a right that must be implemented, he stated.
Giau added that Sabah should possess broader autonomy, including in administrative matters and citizenship rights, in line with the original agreement prior to the formation of Malaysia.
