Warisan rides on 'Sabah for Sabahans' concept

SPECIAL REPORT | On a drive through Kota Kinabalu to Ranau and even on a train ride to Tenom, one thing is apparent for a Peninsular Malaysian visiting Sabah - the Sabah flag is flown almost everywhere, together with the national flag.

This feature is somewhat unique to Sabah compared to other states in the peninsula which mostly fly the Malaysian and respective state flags at government buildings only.

The sentiment is clear - Sabahans are both nationalists as well as "Sabah-lists".

Speak to any Sabahan and you will find that they only want whatever rights Sabah is supposed to be accorded with, while the issue of secession does not even arise.

A Tuaran native told Malaysiakini that it was never about leaving Malaysia.

"It's more about changing the current leadership. Umno is weak when it comes to development.

"It's all about the tourism industry while the other industries are neglected, which has led to many Sabahans going over to the peninsula," 61-year-old Aman Mohd Zain (photo) said when met in Kota Kinabalu.

The top leaders of Parti Warisan Sabah realised the need to fight for Sabah rights under a singular local movement when they decided to form the Sabah-based political party in October last year.

Insisting on this, Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal - who is currently being remanded in a probe by the MACC - has always made it clear that no one has the right to dictate when it comes to Sabah affairs except for Sabahans themselves.

In a fiery speech at a programme in Tenom earlier this month, Shafie stressed that others should not tell Sabahans that they cannot rule the state.

"Kuala Lumpur folk should not be telling us about what we want. We Sabahans know what we want, we're not stupid. Don't tell us what we want," he thundered.

Rich in tin ore and palm oil

Shafie had also stressed on the potential Sabah has, among them, its natural resources as well as the state's strategic position near the South China Sea.

Sabah, he had pointed out, is rich in tin ore and palm oil and has the potential to be a leading import and export hub that could rival Port Klang.

"I will structure the investments in Sabah. Please give us a chance to administer Sabah. If we fail to fulfil (our promises), you can vote us out in the next general election," Shafie (photo) had said.

In a subsequent programme with Chinese voters in Tenom, Shafie promised that his party would focus more on vocational schools.

"This is so that there will be our people running the factories, we will no longer need workers from Bangladesh," he said.

Warisan's emphasis on Sabah is not mere lip service.

The programme in Tenom, for example, started with a local cultural dance performed for the audience that comprised thousands of local Tenom voters.

Maybe it was due to their "youth" - or maybe it was simply their love for the state - that led to both Warisan Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman and Warisan Wirawati chief Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis holding their hands over their chests while singing the Sabah state anthem during the programme.

It is clear that the "Sabah for Sabahans" message is one that resonates with many Sabahans.

From Kota Kinabalu to Tenom, Warisan's ceramah sessions never fail to draw big crowds, with the people proudly and loudly singing the state anthem before filling the air with shouts of "Ubah Sabah" (Change Sabah).

Tenom native Raimah Jaiman told Malaysiakini that the people want Warisan to make the promised changes into reality.

"We want Warisan to bring change. We believe that Warisan can change everything," said the 56-year-old housewife, confidently.

The whole 'Sabah for Sabahans' concept has also been one of the main reasons why Warisan deputy president Darell Leiking (photo) and vice-president Junz Wong decided to form Warisan together with Shafie.

Talking about his former party PKR, Leiking said the best potential for a national opposition party was the 2013 general election.

Although the then-Pakatan Rakyat coalition managed to win the popular vote, the opposition coalition had to concede to the loss, which Leiking said occurred due to gerrymandering.

"This time around I see a solution in the case of Sabah.

"If we are able to unite the people of Sabah under a singular (Sabah-based) movement, we might be able to topple the government together with the wave and intentions that are being done by Pakatan Harapan in the peninsula. But this, this is a Sabah affair."

'Would like to go back to how Sabah was'

Sabah, Leiking explained, must be looked at from a "different height" compared with other states in the country.

"Sabah is different; there must be a reason why we are separated by sea," he noted.

Before BN, Sabah had always been governed by a singular-based party, said Leiking, citing United Sabah National Organisation (Usno), Sabah People's United Front (Berjaya) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

"We would like to go back to how Sabah was and this time be governed by people who are not in fear because of wrongs they have done. No intimidation can hurt us," said the Penampang lawmaker.

Meanwhile, for Wong (photo), he had nothing but praise for his former party DAP.

"DAP is a good party, it was good to me, treated me well. If given the choice, I didn't want to leave, I was at a crossroads."

DAP may be a good party, but according to Wong, it is only a good party to represent West Malaysians.

"In Sabah, they are not so suitable to represent Sabahans. They can never really fulfil (the aspirations of Sabahans)," said the 38-year-old Likas assemblyperson.

Prior to his move from the DAP to Warisan, Wong said he had tried talking to his former party about the Sabah sentiment.

"They didn't listen to me, they don't believe the Sabah sentiment would rise. (Now) they've realised things have changed.

"I told them this more than a year ago, but they refused to listen. That was the main reason why I left DAP," Wong added.- Mkini