20 Points: The heart of the matter

Veteran leaders in Sabah should explain why, among others, the position and rights of the indigenous people is not similar to the special rights of Malays in Peninsula Malaya.

KOTA KINABALU: Who should take credit (or blame) for initiating the 20 Points that led to Sabah joining the Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form a new federation Malaysia 50 years ago?

That’s a point of contention for several pivotal Sabah politicians who were around at the time and are still arguing the point.

The debate comes a little over a week after the nation marked its golden jubilee, albeit on a low key, and with many in the two Borneo states lamenting that they had got a raw deal in comparison to Brunei and Singapore which are decades ahead in terms of development.

Now a Sabah-based non-governmental organisation has added its voice to the war of words between three pre-independent leaders on the topic.

Sabah Reform Movement (Angkatan Perubahan Sabah) or (APS) information chief Lesaya Lopog Sarudim said the media war between former chief minister Peter Lo Sui Yin and ex-United National Kadazan Organisation (Unko) deputy secretary general Majid Khan was all based on half-truths.

Lo had told a forum that the 20-Points was a Chinese-initiated document while Khan, supported by ex-federal minister Ghani Gilong refutes that claim arguing that Sabah’s main political parties contributed 13 of the points.

“The argument on whether the 20-point was initiated by the Chinese or otherwise is not making any past mistake right,” Sarudim told FMT.

APS is a pro-Pakatan Rakyat political platform headed by former Barisan Nasional MP for Tuaran Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing who contested on PKR ticket and won the Tamparuli state seat in the May 5, general elections.

Sarudim added that what Lo, Khan and Ghani were doing was adding to the confusion over the political history of Sabah leading up to the formation of Malaysia and the subsequent years when it lost much of its powers.

Special rights

Sabahans, he said, are interested in what remains of the 20-points and who was responsible for surrendering those rights and safeguards over the years and whether it was lawful.

According to Sorudim, the most pertinent issues these veteran leaders should do is to explain to the people their position with regards to how these rights were eventually eroded or surrendered and why.

“Instead of telling us now as to who initiated the 20-points, they should come out and explain which of the 20-points are still in effect and which ones have been eroded, surrendered or ignored as claimed by many Sabahan leaders.”

They should also explain why, among others, the position and rights of the indigenous people of Sabah is not similar to the special rights of Malays in Peninsula Malaya (ref Point 12).

“What the people of Sabah want to know most importantly is the position of these ‘safeguards’ now and not what is hoped for, ” Sarudim added.