The Malaysian Insight

SABAH’S support for the federal government’s move to amend the constitution on the status of the Borneo states is not a trade for other benefits, Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal said.

He was rebutting the claim by Sarawak’s Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang, who accused Sabah of “selling out” by supporting of Putrajaya’s attempt to amend Article 1(2) of the constitution to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s equal status.

“We have not traded any rights in support of the move. We are struggling for our rights, too, and for our rights to be maintained. 

“People can say whatever they like, but we (Sabahans) know what we want to do,” Shafie told reporters after an event at Menara Tun Mustapha, in Kota Kinabalu, today.  

Lo, of SUPP in Sarawak, which is in the state’s opposition, reportedly accused Sabahans of failing to see the “political move” to divide and weaken the Sabah and Sarawak regional politics.

Lo also questioned why Sabah supported Pakatan Harapan on the constitutional amendment when Putrajaya had made “many U-turns” with its promises.

The Dewan Rakyat voted on the amendment on April 9 but Putrajaya failed to get the support of two-thirds of MPs when Sarawak legislators voted against it.

Sabah, however, supports the move and its state legislative assembly had passed a unanimous vote to support the constitutional amendment.

Lo said by endorsing the proposed amendment in the state assembly, Sabah had showed its willingness to “trade its rights away” for benefits which he cited as “28 bridges”.

Shafie said, “What bridges, I don’t know”. – May 3, 2019.