Sabah can develop state on its own if rights, resources returned, MP tells PM

Muhyiddin Yassin does not understand the aspirations of Sabahans, according to Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majlis.

KOTA KINABALU: A Warisan MP has hit out at Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for saying that the Sabah government cannot develop the state on its own.

In a statement, Kota Belud MP Isnaraissah Munirah Majlis said Muhyiddin’s remarks were insensitive and against the aspirations of Sabahans.

The people of Sabah, she said, wanted true independence where the state had the power to chart its path and development.

“If he (Muhyiddin) is sincere and understands the struggle of Sabahans, he should have come to tell us that it is time Sabahans are given back our rights as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, especially in the equal distribution of allocations between Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya.”

Isnaraissah Munirah Majlis

She said it was disappointing that Muhyiddin had said Sabah needed help where development was concerned as this gave the impression that Sabah was not independent.

At a recent event in Kota Kinabalu, Muhyiddin was quoted as saying that it was important for the Sabah government to be aligned to Putrajaya for the sake of development.

While Sabah was developed, Muhyiddin said it was not enough and that the state could not do it on its own and would need to work with the federal government.

Munirah said if Sabah’s rights were returned and allocations were distributed fairly the state administration would be able to develop Sabah without any help from Putrajaya.

She added however that the Warisan-led administration would work with the federal government on a government-to-government basis. - FMT