Rising Borneo consciousness among Swak bloggers

Sabah Star chairman Jeffrey Kitingan said the rise of political consciousness in Sarawak augured well for Borneo.

KUCHING: Over 50 bloggers here met with Sabah assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan to brainstorm over existing issues affecting the two Borneo states. Topping their discussions were the federal government’s defaults on the Malaysia Agreement and the insidious ‘amendments’ to the federal constitution and Malaya’s ‘occupation’ of Sabah and Sarawak’s natural resources. Since the historic 2008 general election and the subsequent 2011 state elections in Sarawak, political awareness has seen an increasing presence in the blogsphere. 

In the run-up to last May’s general elections, Kitingan was the voice Sarawakians heard brandishing the 20 and 18 points agreements involving Sabah and Sarawak. Speaking to FMT here, Kitingan said the rise of political awareness in Sarawak especially among the younger generation was a sign of ‘emerging times’. He said the emergence of new groups such as the Sabah Sarawak Movement (SSM), Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia (SSKM), United Varsity Student of Borneo (UVSB) showed that the people of Sabah and Sarawak were desperately wanting to express their concerns.

Both SSM and SSKM are active on social media and have 7,742 and nearly 10,000 members respectively. “It’s a sign of emerging times. People are beginning to question the state’s position as the 12th and 13th state in Malaysia when this is not the reality. “That these questions are being asked indicates that we have a problem that needs to be addressed,” Kitingan said. Amendments to federal constitution He said in 1963 independent sovereigns Sabah and Sarawak went into partnership with the Federation of Malaya as equals. 

“The Federation was formed through 20 points and 18 points conditions, among them were  important promises to Sabah and Sarawak that they will be self-governing. “As equal partners Sabah and Sarawak were assured that we will have the power to control our resources and finances and political franchise. “But today it is no longer that and we find ourselves (Sabah and Sarawak) degraded to be just be one of state. “It has been a project takeover for Malaya,” said Kitingan. He pointed out that the federal constitution had been surreptitiously amended “around 1975 and 1976” to “totally change the concept of Malaysia”. 

“The amendments turned Sabah and Sarawak into the 12th and 13th state. It was a takeover of  British colonies. “And now we are colonized by Malaya especially Sabah,” he said adding that Sarawak had managed to preserve its independence to some extend because of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. Senior leaders in the Taib-run administration have in recent months also openly accused the Umno-led federal authorities of shortchanging Borneo and have gone as far as to call for a review of the current situation. 

Meanwhile Taib’s firm stand on the ‘status quo’ of the Malaysia Agreement and the state government’s endorsement of Sarawak’s Independence Day on July 23 last year augurs well for Borneo sentiments. 

- See more at: http://www.fmtborneoplus.com/category/top-news/2014/01/28/rising-borneo-consciousness-among-swak-bloggers/#sthash.vQcuFIDZ.dpuf

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Malaysia hari ini terpesong daripada matlamat penubuhannya: Jeffery

KUCHING: Presiden Yayasan Warisan Borneo (BHF) Datuk Dr Jeffery G Kitingan mendakwa Malaysia hari ini terpesong daripada Malaysia yang dimahukan seperti yang dimeterai menerusi perjanjian penubuhan Malaysia antara Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malaya), Sabah dan Sarawak.

Bercakap pada sidang media di sini semalam, Dr Jeffery berkata rakyat Sabah dan Sarawak hari ini mula mempersoalkan mengapa dua negeri ini dilayan sebagai negeri yang ke-12 dan ke-13 bagi Malaya.

Mengapa Perjanjian Malaysia, khususnya Artikel 8, yang merujuk kepada janji-janji serta jaminan yang diberikan kepada Sabah dan Sarawak bagi merealisasikan penubuhan Malaysia tidak dilaksanakan.

“Semua ini (janji-janji dan jaminan yang diberikan) meyakinkan rakyat dan pemimpin-pemimpin kita untuk bersetuju membentuk Malaysia bahawa kita akan membentuk sebuah negara baharu dengan kerjasama yang sama rata.

“Menerusi Perkara 20, antara dokumen penting yang dijanjikan ialah Sabah dan Sarawak akan diperintah sendiri dan mengawal sendiri hasil sumber, kewangan serta rangkaian-rangkaian politik.

“Tetapi hari ini seperti yang anda sedia maklum, ia tidak lagi seperti itu, kita mendapati bahawa kita telah dilayan seperti salah sebuah negeri Malaya maksudnya Malaysia mengambil alih koloni British iaitu Sabah dan Sarawak daripada British ke Malaya,” katanya.

Dr Jeffery yang juga pengerusi Parti Reformasi Negeri (STAR) Cawangan Sabah menambah, jika kita melihat kepada kerajaan persekutuan hari ini ia merupakan sambungan daripada Persekutuan Malaya tetapi kini dikenali sebagai Persekutuan Malaysia.

“Satu daripada syarat penting dalam pembentukan Malaysia ialah penubuhan Perlembagaan Malaysia yang baharu.

“Tetapi apa yang berlaku tiada perlembagaan baharu Malaysia, ia hanya perlembagaan Malaya yang dipinda dan alasan mereka ialah tidak ada masa untuk memperkenalkan perlembagaan baharu.

“Mana boleh tidak ada masa apabila anda mahu menubuhkan sebuah negara baharu?

“Semua ini telah memesongkan Malaysia daripada apa yang kita mahukan ketika termeterainya perjanjian penubuhan Malaysia,” dakwa Dr Jeffery.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/01/28/malaysia-hari-ini-terpesong-daripada-matlamat-penubuhannya-jeffery/#ixzz2rjanMrx9

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: Gag Order proves Govt Incapable of Governing - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU - “The announcement that the Cabinet Ministers are gagged and not allowed to speak pertaining to the use of the word “Allah” and that only the PM can speak is not surprising.  Added the silence of Najib himself and they only add to the growing perception that the government is floundering and incapable of governing” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the gag order issued to all Cabinet ministers pertaining to the use of the word "Allah".

It will also not be surprising if the PM and his Cabinet is asked to step down and hand over to a new Prime Minister with his new Cabinet.

“What does the gag order mean?” rused Dr. Jeffrey.

In April 2011, the PM himself signed the 10-Point solution in which Bibles in all languages including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia were freely allowed.   It means that the use of the word “Allah” was not an issue and more specifically Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia were at liberty to be used.

The 10-Point was a decision of the Cabinet, the highest authority of government in the land.

“Is it not a Cabinet decision that was meant to be implemented and enforced and followed by the government and its agencies” added Dr. Jeffrey.

“Why then the Bible raid?” “Why are the Bibles still retained and not returned to the Bible Society?” and “Why the gag order?”

“Does it mean that the Cabinet no longer respect and will no longer honour the 10-Point?

The logical interpretation of the gag order means that the 10-Point is no longer valid and the Cabinet no longer respect the 10-Point which was intended to be a political gimmick in the run-up to GE-13 to hoodwink and mislead the Christian voters in Sabah and Sarawak in the election.  If it was still as good as law, there is no necessity to gag the Ministers because the 10-Point is clear and unequivocal.  There is nothing wrong with the contents of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia and the Bible raid should not have occurred.

If the PM and his Cabinet is serious in preserving peace and harmony amongst the various races and religions, the 10-Point should override the 1984 Ministerial Order.   If so, the said Order of the Home Minister banning the use of the word “Allah” should be revoked.

However, given the voice of the right wing and the extremists and religious zealots against the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims, the gag order also means that the PM and his Cabinet is weak and unable to stand up for all Malaysians who are non-Muslims.   This is probably the reason why the PM is unable to state his stand on the issue.  He is not the PM for all Malaysians.

For the other non-Umno components in the Cabinet and the BN, it also means that they are spineless and are mere followers.  They are not fit to be in the Cabinet and together with their Umno counterparts, they have no business governing all Malaysians.

The question now is “Will the incapable government descend into an evil government?” in the words of Eric Hoffer “No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life and breed ill-will and suspicion – it is an evil government” in the Passionate State of Mind, 1954.

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: Ex-DAP Leaders should re-align and fight for Sabah Rights - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU - “Whatever is the cause, the departing DAP leaders should re-align and re-focus their political aim towards assisting in the fight for the restoration of Sabah rights and autonomy including regaining Sabah’s oil and gas resources” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the resignations of several ex-DAP leaders and their supporters.

Sabahans should no longer rely on parties and leaders from the Peninsula to champion the cause for Sabah.   Their priorities are not Sabah’s priorities and their agenda to gain power in Putrajaya does not necessarily entail Sabah’s agenda.   In fact, some of their priorities and agenda are conflicting to Sabah’s.

The federation of Malaysia is not a standardized and homogenous federal-state relationship for the 11 States in the Peninsula and for Sabah and Sarawak.  This is because Sabah and Sarawak are equal to Malaya not the States in Malaya. 

It’s a 2-tier federation, the lower tier being the federation of Malaya with 11 States and the higher tier between Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.   As a result, a simplified two-party system will extinguish the rights and autonomy of Sabah and leaving Sabah and Sarawak as the 12th and 13th States forever.

At the moment, the Chinese community in Sabah are more focused on their business and career interests and are not strong advocates or supporters of Sabah’s rights and autonomy.   They need to join the fight to seek the return of Sabah’s oil and gas resources.  It is not acceptable to Sabahans for Petronas to be vested all of Sabah’s oil and gas resources and giving 5% of the revenue when it is exploited.

Whatever the reasons for their disinterest in fighting for Sabah’s rights and autonomy and the return of Sabah’s oil and gas resources, the Chinese community need to re-assess the situation and think about the future of their children and grand-children in Sabah. They should not adopt the view that they can send their children overseas and then encourage them not to return home.

Sabah is their homeland too that their ancestors, grand-parents and parents have helped built.  They need to stand united with the other communities to seek the restoration of Sabah as an equal partner in Malaysia equal to Malaya and Sarawak.   They need to help fight for the return of Sabah’s oil and gas resources.

In this regard, the ex-DAP leaders after having worked under their previous party should seize the opportunity and re-align themselves and bring along the Chinese community to fight for Sabah’s rights and autonomy from now on if they still consider themselves as Sabahans and love Sabah.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALAYSIAN NATIONAL PARTY WITH SARAWAK LEADERS AND SARAWAK PARTY WITH SARAWAK LEADERS

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALAYSIAN NATIONAL PARTY WITH SARAWAK LEADERS AND SARAWAK PARTY WITH SARAWAK LEADERS

National party cannot decide who is their local leader, this is decided by the top national leaders. National party cannot decide on candidates. National party cannot speak on national issues without clearance from national level - their mouths are gagged. National party need malayan politicians to help them to campaign in their ceramah and to organize fund-raising dinners to draw crowds. 

And most important, national party cannot use our Sarawak slogan "Sarawak For Sarawakians" becos everything they do, must be approved by national leaders.

It took local party Scottish National Party to be the state government to declare a referendum, it took local government Kosovo parliament to declare a UDI (unilateral declaration of independence). Do you think national party leaders would allow it?

If we have to be true to 'Sarawak for Sarawkians' only Sarawakians can fight for Sarawak, not Sarawakians who have to kowtow to malaya and depend on malayans to come to Sarawak and fight for us.

Sarawak belongs to the people of Sarawak. If Sarawakians cannot help ourselves, no one else will. Get that into our heads first. Otherwise don't talk about liberty and freedom, its a lost cause.

Lina Soo is a candidate for State Reform Party (STAR) for P196 Stampin, Sarawak in GE-13 and the author of popular book "Sarawak the Real Deal"

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: What about Flood Aid for Sabahans? - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU - “It must have been really disappointing for flood victims in Sabah and Sarawak seeing the actions of the federal government in dishing out aid after aid for the flood victims in the Peninsula” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in querying further about federal flood aid for Sabah and Sarawak flood victims and the hand delivery of RM9.6 million of federal aid by Najib himself together with television sets and other items in Kemamam with another RM10 million aid to be from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry.

It is not that Sabahans and Sarawakians are begrudging the granting of aid from the federal government to the victims in the Peninsula.  It is about the treatment of Sabah and Sarawak flood victims by the federal government. 

The flood aid is even hand-delivered by the PM himself in Terengganu and Pahang and the aid included even television sets, refrigerators, pillows and mattresses and stoves amounting to RM5,000 per family.   Sabahans, unfortunately, will be getting nothing, not even a single sen, not even a single pillow.

While part of the RM10 million, about RM1.5 million is earmarked for losses suffered by victims in Sarawak, the mere fact that nothing is done to determine the Sarawakians’ losses involved re-affirms the lack of priority of the federal government towards Sabahans and Sarawkians.  Is it justified that only 15% of the aid is reserved for Sarawakians with Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan receiving 85%.

The federal government and leaders from the Peninsula always seem to conveniently forget that it was Sabah and Sarawak that formed Malaysia with Malaya.   There would be no Malaysia without Sabah and Sarawak.

More importantly, without the support from Sabah and Sarawak, the present federal government and their Ministers would be in the opposition and not in power as the federal government.

For the flood victims in the Peninsula, the federal agencies were mobilized in full force.  Where were they during the floods in Sabah?  The PM himself failed to visit the flood-hit areas in Sabah while he was in Kota Kinabalu attending a wedding reception.

“Why are the flood victims in Sabah and Sarawak not being given the federal flood aid of RM500.00 and why is Sabah left out of the RM10 million agricultural and livestock aid? queried Dr. Jeffrey.

Why are Sabahans not treated as equal Malaysians by the federal government?

Why is the federal government alienating Sabahans?

Is it because Sabahans are not Malays? asked Dr. Jeffrey.

Perhaps, it is time for the PM and the federal government to clear the air on federal flood aid for Sabahans before Sabahans are irked further by the federal government.

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: Implement Similar I-Card for Non-Sabahans - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU -  “The federal government and Home Ministry’s plan to issue 2.5 million i-Kad to foreign workers shows the double-faced attitude and lack of seriousness and political will to solve the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah.   It only serve to confirm the Umno-led federal government’s hand in the issuance of dubious ICs and MyKads in Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief responding on the Home Ministry’s i-Kad plan for foreign workers.

The illegal immigrants and the dubious ICs have already returned to haunt Malaysians and the federal government in the Peninsula with the discovery of fake MyKads amidst serious crimes and employment of foreigners with fake MyKads as security personnel.

It will not be surprising if many of these foreigners with fake MyKads are already in the government service.

The move to issue the i-Kad with biometric security features only serve to show that the only way to resolve the dubious MyKads and ICs in Sabah is the recalling of all ICs issued in Sabah and to issue a new Sabah IC for genuine Sabahans.  This will weed out all non-Sabahans and those that have been given dubious ICs under Project IC, Ops Durian Buruk or whatever name it may be called.

It re-affirms the widespread opinion that the Umno-led federal government is not serious in tackling the problems of illegal immigrants and illegal holders of MyKads in Sabah. 

It may also be a precursor to the lack of seriousness of the government to address the RCI findings.   The RCI can only have a finding that there was large scale unwarranted issuance of ICs and voting rights to illegals, many of whom can be said to be born twice, once in their country of origin and another in Sabah.

It is not likely that the Umno Sabah-led Sabah government will take any action on their own either since many of the dubious ICs issued were to Umno members and actively recruited by many current senior Umno Sabah leaders.

The unenvious task now falls on the non-Umno Sabah BN components to push their Sabah government into action to recall all ICs issued in Sabah since 1963 and to implement the issuance of a Sabah IC for genuine Sabahans and a “Non-Sabahan Resident Card” for all non-genuine Sabahans.  This way, the federal government will not be able to issue MyKads to illegals as Sabahans and they cannot be placed in the electoral rolls and used as voters for hire to keep the Umno/BN government in power.

The probability of the Umno government mis-using illegals as voters in future general election is very high if they are left to control the issuance of ICs and MyKads.   The potential voters for hire are already in place with many schools recently reporting high incidents of illegals registering as new students, some even more than local students.

“The Sabah IC is the only way to ensure that the security and sovereignty of Sabah are genuinely protected” stressed Dr. Jeffrey.

The recent more than 20 incidents of drive-by shooting and damage of business premises in Kota Kinabalu including 5-star hotels and banks shows the urgency to re-establish security in Sabah. 

Ideally, the Sabah government need to regain control of immigration, national registration and security to safeguard the sovereignty of Sabah as well as the security and well-being of all Sabahan Malaysians.   This can be done with the establishment of a Sabah Homeland Security Ministry.    

The i-Kad shows that the illegal immigrants problem in Sabah can be resolved with issuance of Sabah’s own registration card system.

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: STAR hit out at police for blaming shootings on naughty teens - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (pic) poured cold water over the police's initial findings, saying that the attacks were too organized to be the work of teenagers.

"You don't find teenagers carrying air guns and firing at certain premises almost at the same time. I don't believe they are the work of normal teenagers," he said.

He also questioned the timing of the attack, coming on the back of the current religious dispute between Muslims and Christians over the use of the word Allah during worship as well as the Sulu Sultanate claim of ownership of Sabah.

He said the authorities should conduct an in depth probe on the motive of the shootings instead of just brushing it aside.

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: Be Wary of Internal Colonization - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU -  “The time has come for the Sabah government and Sabah Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MPs, both government and opposition, to step up and look after the interests of Sabah and Sabahans.   They need to stop the unfair and unjust treatment of Sabah by the federal government” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on toll hikes and government compensation for toll operators and concessionaires.

They need to ask themselves if they are there truly and sincerely to safeguard the rights of Sabah and the interests of Sabahans.  They need to remind themselves that they are voted in by the people of Sabah, regardless phantom voters, voters for hire or not.

They need to see beyond the toll hikes and toll compensations to ensure justice and fairness is served to the people in Sabah.

The PM himself said that the government paid toll compensation of RM459 million between 2008 and 2011, RM329 million in 2012 and RM343 million in 2013 and if toll is deferred in 2014 another RM404 million.   All in a whopping RM1.535 billion, all for the benefit of motorists in Malaya. 

“What about the motorists in Sabah and Sarawak? asked Dr. Jeffrey.

One may say that there are no toll roads in Sabah but then again, there are no good quality roads in Sabah.   The one and only road linking Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan, the second largest town, is worse than ordinary kampong roads in Malaya, worse than roads in many Felda areas in rural Malaya.  On the other hand, kampong roads in Sabah are dirt and gravel roads which are not even level.

For the toll compensation paid in Malaya, there should be an equivalent compensation or at least a substantial equivalent to compensate motorists in Sabah.   This compensation can then be channeled to the Sabah government to improve roads and road conditions in Sabah for the benefit of Sabah motorists.

This request is not unreasonable given that Malaysia is a federation, an association of sovereign nations that are partners combining in the common to create a new nation but retaining their own individualities. 

Sabah and Sabah motorists in particular should be treated with equality and fairness.  The federal government needs to be fair in treating Sabah motorists and the Sabah government and the people’s representatives from Sabah need to ensure that the federal government compensate Sabah motorists.

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR): Sarawak Nationalists Gathering

Dear Sarawak Nationalists, we will be having another gathering on Sunday 26 Jan at 8:30pm in Kuching, our guest will be YB Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan, state assemblyman for Bingkor. Subject to reconfirmation nearer the date. Those who want further details pls pm me. lina.

Pix: flashback ... our New Year Sarawak Nationalists cake which turned into Kek Guling (credit Prof Has for the name change lol)

Facebook: Lina Soo

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: “PBS UPKO Should Leverage Their Presence or Leave BN" - Azroy

PRESS STATEMENT “PBS UPKO Should Leverage Their Presence or Leave BN" - Azroy 

Kota Kinabalu: “PM Najib and his Umno party have mis-used the federal government and its machinery for its own political ends and has already laid the path of no return for the nation. The BN components, particularly PBS and Upko do not have any more options. They need to leverage their presence in BN now or else bite the bullet and leave the BN or be rejected as irrelevant and incapable of protecting Sabahans from Umno/Malayan hegemony” said Hasmin Azroy Abdullah, STAR Sabah Youth Chief in a press statement released today. 

PBS and Upko leaders need to do some soul-searching and ask themselves whether they wish to continue to be used as political mules to carry out Umno’s instructions and rotten policies or to be true to their objectives to safeguard the rights of Sabah and the interests of Sabahans. 

The same applies to the other BN components in Sabah and to the Sabahans inside Sabah Umno. “I have no intention to belittle anyone or to intrude but I am just stating the obvious and which are being said by Sabahans in public and in private” said Azroy. 

The crux of the matter is not the Bible raid but the actions and inactions of the PM and the federal government that is leading Malaysia down the path of no return. It needs to be remembered that the ban on the use of the word “Allah” and others was set in 1984 during the reign of Dr. Mahathir. It has now reached the height of actions by over-zealous religious officials and agencies. 

When the High Court ruled that “Allah” was not exclusive to Muslims and had been used by Christians and other religions long before Malaya got its independence in 1957 or the formation of Malaysia in 1963. It was a decision that was consistent with the views of world-wide scholars, both Islamic and non-Islamic. 

Instead of letting the issue stand, the federal government chooses to appeal to the Court of Appeal. In overturning the High Court decision, the Court of Appeal decision while being a legal precedent that the Christian bulletin, The Herald, cannot use the word “Allah”, has opened up Pandora’s box on political interpretations. Politically, the damage is irreparable. 

While the only solution appears to be a withdrawal or setting aside of the 1984 government administration decision resulting in discontinuance of the court proceedings. However, the withdrawal will still leave political opportunists to quote the Court of Appeal decision in support of their frivolous claims for exclusivity for the use of “Allah”. 

This is a no-win situation for religious freedom which is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution. Instead and due to the pending GE-13 general election, Najib chose to pen the 10-Point solution to overcome the issue. 

This has led to the ridiculous situation where Sabahans and Sarawakians cannot use “Allah” while in the Peninsula and for West Malaysians being allowed to use “Allah” while visiting Sabah and Sarawak but not when they are in the Peninsula. 

The 10-Point solution was a political gimmick to retain the Umno/BN’s fixed deposit in Sabah and Sarawak during GE-13. It has remained a gimmick until today and is not honoured and not respected by the powers that be. 

The Bible raid is clear testimony that the 10-Point solution is a worthless piece of paper. The Umno-led BN coalition in the federal government has no intention of honouring the 10-Point solution. Period. 

Why should the Umno-led federal government honour the 10-Point solution and the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom? If its past record is anything to go by, the Malayan government masquerading as the federal government of Malaysia has for the past 50 years ignored and in instances trampled on the Malaysia Agreement and the 20-Points Memorandum. “Isn’t the Malaysia Agreement and the 20-Points paramount and more important? asked Azroy. 

Without them, there would not exist the federation of Malaysia today. Furthermore, the current PM himself and the Umno-led BN has been consistently lying to the people and broken many promises. 

If the PBS delegates at their 2013 general assembly still remember, the PM himself promised the PBS delegates to wait for the following Friday’s 2014 Budget announcement to see the goodies for Sabah. 

As it turned out, there no major goodies for Sabah and the 2014 Budget was a huge disappointment from Sabah’s perspective. “What about the BN May 2013 Manifesto and the numerous promises made during campaigning including the Labuan Bridge?” Aren’t many of these promises being broken by Umno/BN resulting in price hikes everywhere? added Azroy. 

The only conclusion is that the federal government can no longer be trusted and their promises are meaningless. Meanwhile, the mismanagement is leading Malaysia towards bankruptcy with the national debt at the RM600 billion level, perhaps already more than the 55% GPD ratio limit. 

At stake is Sabah’s oil and gas revenues, all RM26.6 billion in 2014, which are squandered by corruption and uncontrolled spending by the federal government. 

If after their soul-searching, PBS and Upko still think that they love Sabah more and still care for their fellow Sabahans and have the interest of Sabah at heart, then they have to swallow their pride and make that decision to leave BN. 

It may be heart-wrenching and difficult but it will be for the good of Sabah and go a long way in redeeming their dignity. Malaysia is burning, there is no time to stand idle and watch and to betray Sabahans anymore. 

While at it, they should also persuade their fellow Sabahans in Umno to leave Umno and join forces to stand alone and form an alternative federal government and an alternative Sabah government. They have nothing to lose but everything to gain. 

The positions and the contracts will still be there if that is their worry. 

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: Be Wary of Internal Colonization - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

Be Wary of Internal Colonization – Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU: “Sabahans should not be too excited with the establishment of the first UTC (Urban Transformation Centre) in Kota Kinabalu. It is nothing more than another subtle step in the internal colonization of Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, on the opening of the first UTC at Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu.

“Why is there a need to waste money setting up an UTC which cannot be done by the existing federal and state departments and agencies from their existing offices? asked Dr. Jeffrey.

It’s a sheer waste of public funds and show that the existing departments and agencies are not operating efficiently that it needs to be done at an UTC.

It is nothing more than a political gimmick with fanciful advertising for the PM and a ploy of the federal government to gain a foothold and control the individual states, Sabah in this case. 

Don’t be surprised that it will be dismantled when a new Prime Minister takes over the reins in Putrajaya.

From an equal partner in the formation of Malaysia in 1963, it has been a downward spiral for Sabah resulting in its downgrading from an equal partner to be the 12th State and exploitation of Sabah’s wealth and resources. The end result, Sabah the poorest State and an internal colony.

The Sabah government and its control and jurisdiction is slowly and surely being diluted and boxed in. Unlike the other States in the Peninsula, the federal government has created a parallel government in Sabah with the establishment of the Federal Secretary Office.

In reality, Malaya masquerading as the federal government of Malaysia is ruling and exploiting Sabah as a mere colony and raping its rich resources including all the federal revenue and 95% of its oil and gas resources to fund lop-sided and biased development in Malaya. 

In 2014, Petronas and the federal government is expected to receive RM26.6 billion from Sabah’s oil and gas resources alone. As the oil producing State, Sabah will only receive RM1.4 billion.

On the local front, federal departments and agencies are being spread out and expanded flush with federal funding that deals directly with the people and often overtaking and usurping the roles of the local Sabah agencies. They are even staffed by Malayans depriving the locals of proper job opportunities who are often left with low-ranking and menial jobs.

There is no implementation of the Borneonization policy with more than 80%-90% of federal department and agencies being headed by Malayans, many of them Muslims. When queried, the standard federal government is that the locals are not qualified and not capable to hold such positions. What a lie?

The roles and importance of local departments and agencies are diminished and some to the extent of being made redundant and closed. If unchecked, the Sabah government may one day find itself being mere postmen and office boys carrying out instructions from their political masters in Putrajaya.

On the other extreme end, Sabah has 53.5% of the abject poor households and 39.3% of the poor households in the nation. This is a statistic from the PM’s Department itself. In addition, many of Sabah’s basic facilities and amenities are third-rate, some worse than third-rate.

While other Malaysians in Malaya enjoy good sealed roads comparable to developed countries, Sabahans get only dirt and gravel roads and made to inhale dust daily from the use of these so-called “roads”. Many do not enjoy clean treated water, some not even gravity-fed water supply.

After 50 years in Malaysia, Sabah is in a pathetic state with many, many poor Sabahans. At the same time, the locals especially the natives are over-run by illegal immigrants. 

Many of them are the products of Project IC and Ops Durian Buruk and are given ICs and MyKads with voting rights and privileges as “bumiputras Islam” at the expense of the local natives.

The people of Sabah need to awaken to the internal colonization of their homeland and take action to stop Kuala Lumpur and Malaya’s colonial rule and exploitation. 

Sabahans need to unite to regain Sabah’s rights and dignity as an independent sovereign nation within the Federation, equal only to Malaya and Sarawak, not as the 12th subservient State.

“We need to rescue Sabah from the control and hegemony of Umno/Malaya. Sabah does not belong to Malaya or Malaysia. Without Sabah, there is no Malaysia” said Dr. Jeffrey.

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan

Chairman

STAR Sabah

11 January 2014

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It’s not the first time that questions about Sabah’s place in Malaysia have surfaced.

KOTA KINABALU: If not Malaysia, then what? It’s a question that’s coming more into focus in Sabah and Sarawak as religious tensions escalate in the peninsula sending shudders through the

two states.

It’s not the first time that questions about Sabah’s place in Malaysia have surfaced. In 1965, former chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens wanted a review of Sabah’s participation in Malaysia after Singapore’s exit.

Stephen’s reasoning was that it was because of Singapore that Sabah joined Malaysia since the island was out of the federation, there was no longer any reason for the Borneo state to continue to be in the federation.

Forty-eight years later the question has returned but this time with more vigour, riding a wave of poverty and hardship, racial supremacy and religious zingers that are ricocheting around  and threatening to cause major damage to the peace and harmony in the state.

Kitingan

State assembly representative for Bingkor, Jeffrey Kitingan, claims the federal government is standing idly by watching the country lurch from crisis to crisis.

This has left many wondering if the idea of a federation was a mistake as the peace, harmony and unity that existed before the formation of Malaysia in 1963 has disappeared.

“Already many are clamouring for Sabah Sarawak to leave Malaysia,” he claimed when commenting on the rising racial tensions, attacks on religious freedom and growing fanaticism among  members and supporters of Umno, the main party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition.

The disaffection among the masses, he maintains, comes from a growing awareness that both states which are rich in natural resources have no control over their wealth to improve their living standards even though both lag far behind the peninsula in terms of development.

In the ‘70s, Sabah was ranked just behind Selangor including the capital Kuala Lumpur as the richest state in Malaysia. As of 2010, Sabah has been declared the poorest state in Malaysia. It’s GDP growth was just 2.4%.

Slums, the hallmark of an impoverished and decaying society, have become widespread in the state and it is not uncommon to find squatter settlements housing up to 40,000 residents.

All these are considered nuisances and borne with an air of resignation if not tolerated.

However, as push has now come to shove since recently snubbed politicians and their supporters are hellbent on articulating racial supremacy and curtailing the religious rights of minorities, Malaysians in the Borneo states are starting to pose awkward questions about their purpose and place in the nation.

They are paying careful attention to statements on the on-going controversy emanating out of the peninsula. On Wednesday, news portal Malaysiakini reported that Syariah Lawyers Association (PGSM) president Musa Awang noted that the raid and seizure of the Bibles was pertinent because the bulk of them were in a language largely used by Malays who are Muslims.

But Musa ignores the fact that Malaysia does not comprise only Malaya. The national language was imposed on Sabahans by the Usno government in the early 1970s. They still resent it but they knuckled down and learned the language for the sake of unity. Sabahans now have every right to turn around and tell Musa to mind his language and stop being chauvinistic.

Another fact that is forgotten is that the Sabah Constitution was amended in 1973 to make Islam the religion of state. It was secular in nature prior to this. The change was imposed in a bid to limit the role of the mainly Christian indigenous community in state politics.

Subsequently Muslim immigrants from the Philippines, Indonesia and even south Asia were allowed into the state and granted citizenship in the early 1990s to help topple the duly elected Christian state government. The clandestine scheme that is now being investigated has significantly altered the demography of Sabah in just 50 years.

The people of Sabah and Sarawak are losing patience.

Credits: Borneo Insider

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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: “Mahathir Should Rectify Umno/Malayan Hegemony" - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU: Former prime minister Mahathir Mohammad has been asked  to work his magic to end Umno’s hegemony over the other races and over Sabah and Sarawak.

“He should take the opportunity to redeem some of his past mistakes instead of making insincere statements to hoodwink the people to continue the Umno stranglehold on the country,” said STAR Sabah chief Jeffrey Kitingan.

Commenting on the ex-premier’s statement to BN on adjustments in power-sharing, he claimed that in private, the other BN leaders would acknowledge that there is no real power-sharing in BN nowadays and everything is decided by Umno and imposed on the other BN components.

This can be clearly seen, he said, each time Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak came out of Umno Supreme Council meetings and announced major government policies without referring to the other BN parties.

“It is a stark reality that the other BN components are powerless and have no say whatsoever.

“They are there only for window dressing to fill up positions and to give a picture of credibility for the Umno regime,” he said.

The Bingkor Assemblyman went on to note that if the situation was bad and reaching breaking-point for the BN components and other races in the peninsula, it was worse in the case of the Borneo states, particularly Sabah.

“Whatever the pro-Umno, pro-federal government and other detractors may say, the reality is that Sabah is treated as a colony by Umno/Malaya masquerading as the federal government of Malaysia and aided by Sabah Umno/BN leaders,” he said.

He reminded that the original intention of forming the federation of Malaysia was to be a political association between Malaya, Singapore and the Borneo territories of North Borneo (now Sabah), Sarawak and Brunei.

“After 50 years, it is no longer a political association, more a racial, religious hegemony by Umno/Malaya. Fortunately for Brunei, they pulled out at the last minute,” he said.

Sabah and Sarawak were never meant to be the 12th and 13th states in Malaysia, equal in status to the likes of Perlis, Malacca or Selangor and 50 years on, Malaysia today is not the federation that was outlined.

“Although Malaysians share its uniqueness in diversity in race, religion and culture, the political reality is essentially Umno/Malay hegemony in the Peninsula and Umno/Malaya hegemony over Sabah and Sarawak.

“There is no real power-sharing, just domination, domination and more domination by Umno.

The domination has gone to the extent of twisting the facts of history and the formation of Malaysia, even the age and independence of Malaysia.

“Another form of domination is the use of the government agencies and security apparatus for their political purposes inching closer and closer to making Malaysia a police state,” he lamented.

Kitingan claimed that much of this domination happened during the time of Mahathir and the Tun Abdul Razak, the father of the present Prime Minister Najib and that it had gotten worse during the latter’s tenure.

“This was despite his “1Malaysia” slogan which has now been reduced to nothing but a hollow-and-meaningless slogan which has been rendered “1-Melayu” as evidenced at the recent Umno general assembly,” he said.

He thus reiterated that it is only appropriate for Mahathir to initiate the ending of this Umno/Malaya hegemony and for the present Prime Minister to implement it.

“Only then will true peace and harmony prevail in the Peninsula and equal partnership prevails between Malaya and the Borneo States of Sabah and Sarawak,” he stressed.

He further noted that Sabahans and Sarawakians share little in common with their cousins in the peninsula other than being Malaysians due to the merger to form Malaysia in 1963.

“If the hegemony cannot be ended, it may be better for the Malayan/Malaysian government to consider Sabah and Sarawak’s departure as what has been expounded time and again and openly by narrow-minded Umno and other Malay leaders,” he concluded.

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