Sabah rights core issues in post-Umno/BN era – SAPP

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Yong Teck Lee

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party’s withdrawal from Barisan Nasional (BN) in 2008 has been fully vindicated today.

“Sarawak local parties have also closed down BN. This is the trend today when Sabah and Sarawak political parties are no longer subservient to Malaya parties. This cannot be avoided,” said SAPP President Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee.

“We welcome the other Sabah parties and Sarawak parties, who have now broken free from the control by Malaya parties, to join the struggle. SAPP had the foresight and the courage to leave the BN in 2008. The other parties leaving BN now are only following the trend,” said Yong.

“We are now focused on the post-Umno/BN era of monopoly of power. Umno/BN monopoly on power has ended on May 9 this year,” he said while speaking at the SAPP Luyang annual general meeting.

Yong reminded SAPP members that, “Politics is a process, we have lost elections but our noble struggle for Sabah will continue. SAPP will be rejuvenated and have fresh leaders who can chart the future of Sabah.”

Yong said Malaysians voted against GST (Goods and Services Tax), Umno, BN, Najib and 1MDB in GE14. The result has proven that people power can change the political landscape.

“Now that all these issues are over, Sabahans can focus on the core issues of the future, such as Sabah rights, MA63, oil and gas rights, Sabah autonomy and Sabah IC.”

On the ongoing court case between Petronas and the Sarawak government, Yong emphasised that Petronas is bringing the dispute about oil and gas ownership with Sarawak government to court in order to gain exclusive ownership and total control over the oil and gas resources of Sarawak, which is contrary to the promises of both the former and present federal governments.

As such, Yong said that the Sabah government should intervene in the case (of Petronas vs Sarawak) because the outcome of the Sarawak case would affect Sabah in the same way.