Power to restore state rights rests with Putrajaya, Sabahans told

KOTA KINABALU: Shouting the slogan “Sabah for Sabahans” (S4S) will not guarantee the restoration of Sabah’s rights because the matter is decided by Putrajaya, said Parti Amanah Negara.

Hence, said the party’s Sabah chairman Hamzah Abdullah, it was crucial for Sabahans to choose a national party or coalition that could take over the federal government and make the changes they wanted.

“When we say Ubah Sabah (change Sabah), we shouldn’t stop there. We also have to change the peninsula and change Putrajaya,” he said at the Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Christmas Open House and launching of the PH manifesto for Sabah Interior today.

PH is a national opposition coalition grouping PKR, DAP, Amanah and PPBM.

Hamzah said Sabahans must choose a party which they believed was sincere to help them.

“Let us not vote someone who, after they had won, decides to jump ship and join Barisan Nasional (BN),” he said.

Speaking on the same theme at the event, Sabah DAP chairman Stephen Wong reminded Sabahans not to be sentimental by voting for local parties.

“Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Jelata Sabah (Berjaya) were local parties that ruled Sabah before.

“Yet, they could not regain what Sabah lost over the years despite being the state government for so long in the 1970s through the early 1990s.

“Only national parties like DAP have been consistent in defending the rights of the people, including the rights of Sabahans and Sarawakians,” he said.

More than 500 people joined in the celebration which was also attended by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

Representatives of local opposition parties, including Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), Parti Warisan Sabah and Parti Solidariti Tanahairku (Star), were also present. -FMT