Jeffrey dismisses Keruak’s ‘partial autonomy’ call

Salleh Keruak’s take on partial autonomy “hypocritical” as Umno move to hang on to Putrajaya.

KOTA KINABALU: Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan, taking issue with Sabah Speaker Salleh Keruak’s call in his blog for partial autonomy for the state, has stressed that the autonomy for the two Borneo nations in Federation with the peninsula cannot be compromised.

He alleged that the partial autonomy call, the first time that a Umno Sabah leader had “conceded” on the rights issue, was a move to ensure that Umno can hang on to power in Putrajaya with the help of Sabah and Sarawak.

“This is not a wise move, or the right approach. Sabah and Sarawak’s rights as equal partners in the Federation are not mere words being championed by activists and nationalists in Borneo,” said Jeffrey in noting that Salleh had acknowledged that Sabah and Sarawak were kingmakers and could make or break Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR). “He agreed that both states can determine who controls Putrajaya and the Federal Government, whether BN or PR.”

Salleh was nevertheless “hypocritical” when making the partial autonomy call, added Jeffrey.

“He had rejected my motion twice calling for a review of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Federal Constitution,” said Jeffrey. “If he’s serious, he should follow up and take the necessary steps in the Sabah Assembly. The motion should call for a review of MA63 and the basis of Federal-State relations.”

The Federal Government, he argued, should re-activate the review of MA63 and the Federal Constitution; a review denied the two Borneo nations since 1975 when the Federal and Sabah committees last met.

“It’s high time, in the wake of the Speaker’s call, for Umno and Putrajaya to sit up, listen and take cognizance of the issues raised in Borneo by the people and invite public discourse to resolve the root issue i.e. the non-compliance on MA63 and 20/18 Points.”

Jeffrey, however, agreed with Salleh that the present BN system in Sabah and Sarawak is not working well.

Salleh also said that the Federal Government needed to prove to the people in Borneo that it had honoured the terms under which Sabah and Sarawak federated with the peninsula in 1963. “The statement is long overdue from an Umno leader,” said Jeffrey.

His elder brother, Huguan Siou of Sabah and Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan, agreed that “there’s a lot of room for the Federal Government to consider. We can talk in terms of a delegation of power”.

“True Sabahans will not accept it (partial autonomy) as autonomy was a right of Sabah and Sarawak under MA63 and 20/18 Points in 1963,” said Jeffrey. “Partial autonomy, to partly fulfill the people’s request as suggested by Salleh, will not reduce the anger of the people.”

MA63 and 20/18 Points, he reiterated, called for autonomy. “This is non-negotiable,” said Jeffrey who is also Star Sabah Chief. “The points raised by Salleh on autonomy viz. MA63, 20/18 Points, and Sabah and Sarawak being treated as colonies by the peninsula are just a few of the issues creating unhappiness in the two Borneo nations.”

Salleh’s statement, he continued, only served to confirm and reinforce all the issues raised by activists and nationalists in Borneo in the fight for their rights and autonomy, if not ending the Federation with the peninsula on the grounds of non-compliance with MA63 and 20/18 Points.