KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Umno leaders have been urged to come out of their cocoons and hiding places and put the facts correct to the federal government that Sabah and Sarawak (with Singapore then) formed Malaysia on 16 September, 1963.
“There should be no dispute and no ambiguity to this historical fact, said STAR Sabah chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan in supporting the call by a senior Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) leader cum minister that those who distort history should be chargedwith sedition.
Jeffrey said Sarawak BN leaders have been forthright and have articulated correctly the basis of the formation of Malaysia and the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia.
Unfortunately, he said the Sabah Umno leaders have largely remained inelegantly silent on the basis of the formation of Malaysia. Those who had spoken were nothing more than parrots repeating the lines and the lies of the federal leaders.
“They do not deserve to be called Sabah leaders for their treachery and contempt in mistreating and failing to defend Sabah rights. They should stop hiding behind the BN banner or their respective parties and come out and stand up for Sabah rights.
“They should no longer remain as proxies and stooges of Kuala Lumpur while at the same time in private whisper that Sabah and Sarawak have been taken for a ride for the past 51 years,” said Jeffrey in a statement yesterday.
At this critical moment, he stressed that the nation need leaders who are brave to sincerely voice out what is wrong and rectify the past mistakes of past leaders or guide the present leaders if they are on the wrongpath.
“It is a great disservice to the nation if not treason and treachery if they continue to remain silent while the true facts of history are being distorted,” he pointed out.
At the same time, he said the federal leaders should listen to the grievances and unhappiness of the people in the Borneo States and correct the true facts of history.
“They need to be pro-active and restore the basis of the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963 and not create mis-information on the rights of Sabah and Sarawak. And certainly not making threats and false accusations against the people who are
voicing their dissatisfaction and unhappiness over Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
Jeffrey added the federal leaders and Malaysia would be the biggest losers if they think that they can falsely label the Sabah and Sarawak nationalists and attempt to paint them as secessionists and trouble-makers.
“All these falsehoods are done a view of falsely building up perception and justifying unwarranted action so as to cower then and dampen the claims for restoration of the rights of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia,” he claimed.
Jeffrey also said the time has come for the Sabah Umno BN leaders to prove themselves as national patriots not just looking after, protecting and safeguarding the rights and interests of Sabah and Sabahans consistent with the formation of Malaysia (not Sabah joining Malaya masquerading as Malaysia) but also to ensure Malaysia is put back on the right track progressing towards Vision 2020. Even if it means charging those who distort history as called for by the Sarawak leader.