“Condescending and offensive”: Sarawak rights activist slams Zaid Ibrahim’s remarks on East Malaysia

 

A SARAWAK rights activist has criticised former law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim over his recent comments on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), saying the remarks were offensive and dangerously misleading towards Sabah and Sarawak.

Peter John Jaban said Zaid’s comments are not just disappointing they are insulting, reckless, and show a blatant disregard for the constitutional position of East Malaysia

“As a Sarawakian who has witnessed our people’s struggles firsthand, I find Zaid Ibrahim’s statement offensive and dangerously misleading,” Peter said in a statement.

“Sabah and Sarawak are not a ‘burden’ on Malaysia. We are equal partners, bound by MA63 with rights and autonomy that must be respected.”

Peter said dismissing legitimate demands for justice, development, and recognition as mere political inconvenience is either an act of ignorance or a deliberate attempt to centralise power at the expense of the Borneo states.

Peter John Jaban

“Political leaders who play games with constitutional promises are betraying the very foundation of Malaysia. We will not stay silent while our contributions and rights are ridiculed,” he warned.

“Framing Sabah and Sarawak’s pursuit of their constitutional safeguards as a game of ‘outwitting Malaya’ is arrogant, condescending, and offensive. MA63 was never a political stunt it is a binding agreement that formed the foundation of Malaysia.

“Reducing it to sarcasm insults the law, history, and the people of East Malaysia. Sarawak and Sabah did not ‘outwit’ anyone. We formed Malaysia as equal partners, with safeguards to protect our autonomy, identity, and resources.”

Peter said raising these issues today is not hostility but a matter of asserting both states’ rights under the law and the promises that built the nation.

He further stressed that political parties rooted in Malaya will inevitably prioritise and safeguard only Malayan interests and that reality makes it even more crucial for Sabah and Sarawak to stand united through a Borneo Bloc.

Peter also urged all Sarawak leaders, especially those within GPS, to reject these Malayan narratives and instead lead what he described as a Bornean awakening one grounded in equality, dignity, and self-determination within Malaysia.

Peter added that such remarks reinforce the long-standing perception that certain West Malaysian elites continue to view East Malaysian concerns with disdain.

“Malaysia deserves mature and fact-based discourse, not provocative soundbites. National unity cannot be built on sarcasm or mockery. It must be grounded in respect, constitutional integrity, and recognition of historical commitments,” he emphasised.

He stressed that if political leaders are sincere about national unity, they must begin by respecting the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.

“Anything less is a betrayal,” he added. ‒  Focus Malaysia