SPECULATION that a non-Sabahan is slated to lead Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has riled up politicians in the state.
Borneo Today published a report last week that UMS Board of Director Zaki Azmi had purportedly nominated two non-Sabahans to replace outgoing UMS Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah. This has sparked protests from Barisan Nasional and opposition leaders, and they have called on the Federal Government to be mindful of the Malaysia Agreement (MA63). 

PBS Acting President Dr Maximus Ongkili, who had met Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh over the matter, said he had reminded the ministry to be mindful of the “Borneonisation” safeguards in MA63. 

The MA63 states that local people should be prioritised for senior positions in the federal civil service, he said in a statement.

“He (Idris) confirmed that the UMS selection committee ‎has not forwarded any recommendation yet. I have conveyed to him that it would not be acceptable for the selection committee to conclude there are no qualified Sabahans to fill the VC post, since the last two VCs were also Sabahans. 

“I am confident the minister will comply with this MA63 safeguard,” he said. 

Harun is a Sabahan who was appointed to the post on June 18, 2012. He is expected to retire this month. 

Upko’s Putatan MP Dr Marcus Mojigoh said he would not hesitate to raise his objections if the reports were true, saying that Sabah had not run out of qualified locals to succeed Harun. 

Mojigoh said the call for a Sabahan police commissioner had went unheeded. 

“It is now back to square one,” he said in a statement.
Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Sabah Star) Bingkor sssemblyman Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the choice of VC would reflect the relationship between Sabah and the Federal Government. 

“To outsiders and West Malaysians, they might not feel the unhappiness in Sabah over the treatment and non-compliance of the Malaysia Agreement.

“Borneonisation is one of the safeguards and conditions in the 20-point agreement and ought to be implemented pursuant to Article VIII of the MA63 by the Government. 

“It should be respected and ought to be an important factor in the selection of a new VC. More so, when there are ample qualified Sabahans,” he said in a statement.

The youth wing of Parti Warisan Sabah said if Zaki’s recommendations were true, it showed that the Federal Government did not distrust a Sabahan academic to lead UMS. 

Wira Warisan chief Aziz Jamman said the proposal disregarded the ‘Borneonisation’ safeguards, which must be honoured.

“As it had been pointed out by many MA63 activists, including (Parti Warisan Sabah ) deputy president Darell Leiking that the role of the Federal in a Federated Malaysia should only be limited to educating and preparing Sabahans for self-governance and administration of Sabah,” he said in a statement. – June 1, 2017.