Sabah, Sarawak seen as trying to reduce reliance on Putrajaya

Shafie Apdal and Abang Johari Openg, the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers, during their recent meeting. (PBB pic)

KOTA KINABALU: An analyst sees a recent meeting between the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers as a sign that the two governments have decided not to rely too much on Putrajaya for economic development.

Firdausi Suffian.

Firdausi Suffian, a political economist, noted that the two indicated their governments were looking toward collaborating in various business and socio-economic ventures, including projects related to the oil and gas industry.

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg and his Sabah counterpart, Shafie Apdal, also said they were open to setting up a regional airline and working together to develop ties with East Kalimantan.

Firdausi told FMT it appeared that they were keen to strengthen ties in order to work as a team to boost the economic development of the Borneo states.

He said he saw this as a positive development towards achieving both states’ aspiration to even out the development disparity between them and the peninsular states.

He noted that Sabah and Sarawak together produce more than 60% of the country’s natural resources, which include oil and gas, crude palm oil and fisheries.

He also said the two chief ministers were giving a “clear signal” to the federal government that it had to pay more attention to their states.

“This is a signal for Putrajaya to give a priority focus on Sabah and Sarawak so as to bring about an integrated economy in Borneo, especially with the move of Indonesia’s capital to East Kalimantan,” he added.

However, Firdausi acknowledged that Putrajaya had shown it recognised the two states’ importance by increasing, for the first time in 50 years, the special grants given to them.

Tony Paridi Bagang of Sabah UiTM’s faculty of administrative science and policy studies said Abang Johari and Shafie could also be seen as working together to push their states’ claims to rights provided under the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.

He said the strengthening of their ties could be interpreted as a message to the federal government that it must not delay addressing the claims.

“In other words, the Borneo agenda must be given priority and attention,” he said.

“This is also a signal that East Malaysia could form a political bloc that may give impact to the national political landscape.” - FMT