PENAMPANG MP Darell Leiking has proposed a Borneo bloc of Sabah and Sarawak to enforce the special rights of the states under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

The Warisan deputy president said it is important for Sabah and Sarawak to deny Barisan Nasional a mandate in Borneo in view of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s warning against severe punishment for those promoting regionalism in east Malaysia.

He said it is becoming obvious Peninsular Malaysia leaders refuse to heed east Malaysians’ call to restore state rights.

“The warning by Zahid is dangerous and against the spirit and letter of MA63. 

“I am convinced many Sabahans would not have agreed to form the Federation of Malaysia if they knew they would lose their identity. 

“They agreed to form Malaysia on the basis all the signatories were equals, and Sabah was assured of her security,” he said in a statement, today.

Leiking said Zahid and other Peninsular Malaysia leaders fail to understand the so-called regionalism in Sabah and Sarawak was the exclusive and inherent rights of the Borneo Malaysians as enshrined in MA63.

“This just shows how much disrespect Zahid has for the history of Malaysia,” he said.

Instead of instilling fear, Leiking said Zahid’s statements would only further fuel the misunderstanding and divide between west and east Malaysians. 

“We thought we are heading towards healing and correcting the errors of the past but instead some are not able to accept the reality of reinstating Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya into what was agreed to,” he said.

Leiking also questioned the BN Sabah component party leaders who kept mum over the threat, stating it shows they cannot fight for the state’s rights. – December 6, 2017.