BY DARELL LEIKING
STATEMENT: I wish to call upon the leaders of BN Sabah component parties to embark into a new journey together with Warisan to redirect Sabah to how it was intended to be by the founding forefathers.
We are now at the crossroads of whether to make Sabah great once again as how it used to be or remain subservient to the wills and whims of UMNO headed by Najib Razak and Zahid Hamidi.
Look at all the repeated calls made by Sabahans on issues which are close to their hearts such as PTIs, deplorable conditions of infrastructure, schools and utilities in the interior, security, poverty and so on.
Mind you, it took almost 10 years for UMNO to respond on the call for RCI on the PTIs and yet to date, no concrete action had been taken by UMNO.
Similarly on the issues relating to RUU355, Najib conveniently dishonoured and trampled the status of all the leaders in Sabah BN component parties despite having promised earlier to respect the MA63.
NO WAY TO STOP HUDUD ENTERING SABAH
The gist of MA63 intended upon by our founding forefathers is that “Sabah/Sarawak leaders should be of equal status with those at Malaya, be respected and not in any way be used for mere political interest or convenience only” because this intention is the only way for the next generation of leaders to effectively protect our State against ‘Malayanisation’.
But in his desperate attempt to woo the Malay voters back, he (Najib Razak) formed alliance with PAS, supported Hadi’s Private Member Bill on RUU355 and to the shock of everyone, decided to make it a Government bill!
And he is doing this despite all the earlier assurances given by the leaders of Sabah BN component parties to the Sabahans that they will reject the Hudud Law. It is the principle of respect towards Sabah and Sarawak that UMNO and Najib Razak forfeited for the sake of their political interest at Malaya.
Now with the extension of RUU355 to Sabah which had been supported by the then BN/PBS Government in 1989, there is no way to stop any attempt for the Hudud Law to be introduced in Sabah anymore.
SABAH LEADERS TRAMPLED ON BY MALAYA
My contention on RUU355 is not about religious issue but the fact as how easy it is for UMNO to trample our State leaders and MA63.
This is what we should fight upon; we must stand firm as Sabahans and reject any attempt to make us the tool for UMNO and its President, Najib Razak.
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had stood up as a Sabahan against the attempt to make him subservient to Najib Razak on the 1MDB and as a matter of principle, left the party.
Did he make the wrong move by leaving UMNO? No! Because 12,000 new members stood up behind him.
So similarly, BN Sabah component party leaders should understand that there will come a time when we have to stand up in affirmative and say, “Sabahans are for a better Sabah” and as Sabahans, we will no longer tolerate any attempt to make us the tool to UMNO or its President, Najib Razak.
SABAHANS FOR SABAH
This is because our survival as Sabahans within the Federation of Malaysia is no longer confined to the previous struggle to shove off ‘Malayanisation’ but ‘UMNOnisation’ which essentially means that Sabah (through the State UMNO and BN leaders) is being used for Najib Razak’s own political interest and necessity.
Hence the theme “Sabahans for Sabah” (and not for Najib Razak or UMNO).
Thus, I can only hope and pray that the leaders of Sabah BN component party leaders will show their principle on the RUU355 by emulating what Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal did.
I also want to confirm the rumours that there have been several young political leaders from BN Sabah component parties in discussion with Warisan on the possibility of joining Warisan.
Warisan welcomes everyone who want to contribute their ideas, passion and energy in our effort to save, rebuild and rejuvinate our beloved Sabah.
Having said that, Warisan is optimistic that it will become the driving force in ending the UMNO and BN regimes in Sabah.
- Darell Leiking is member of parliament for Penampang and deputy president of Parti Warisan Sabah
