I refer to the Malaysakini report Sabah takes starring role in political crisis .

Yong Teck Lee betrayed the Sabah mandate in 1994. And yes, it was then deputy prime minister and deputy Umno president Anwar Ibrahim who succeeded in making Yomg leave then opposition Parti Bersatu Sabah just before an impending state election.

PBS won the election but later lost the state government. At the behest of Umno/BN, with Anwar and Yong playing a big part, many PBS state assembly persons left the party. Not empty-handed mind you. Many were richly rewarded including Yong who went on to become chief minister.

No, Yong and his Sapp did not do much to pursue the Sabah cause after that. For reasons best known to themselves. The cause that mattered most to Sabahans. The cause we read about last week when Sapp boldly announced its no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Like the rest of the Sabah BN leaders, they were enjoying the 'rewards' offered for being Umno's obedient servants. Then suddenly, as if awaken from a deep slumber, Yong and Sapp ‘remembered’ the Sabah cause. A cause which Yong had been championing (?) since 1986 when he was with PBS.

And what do you know? Yong and Anwar came into the picture once again. No prize for guessing that eventually Sapp and Yong would ally themselves to Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat. The incident of1994 was a precedent, yes?

Sabah politicians know very well that the Sabah cause is dear to our hearts. So once again, the Sabah cause are presented to Sabahans as the reasons for Yong’s and Sapp’s no-confidence vote against Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Any other reason would not receive support from the people of the land below the wind. Not that we like Abdullah for this premier's report card is all in red.

Yong, Sapp and Anwar betrayed the Sabah mandate in 1994. There was nothing good for Sabah and her people that came out of Yong and Sapp joining BN. Except that Sabah continues to be the poorest state in Malaysia despite its abundance natural resources especially oil.

Its leaders continue with their kerbau cucuk hidung governance (having to refer to Putrajaya most of the time).

There was nothing good for Sabah from Yong and Anwar’s 1994 union as Umno's politics (yes, Anwar had a big hand in Umno's expansion to Sabah not to mention blessings from then president Dr Mahathir Mohamed) disunited Sabah to the core.

Umno's divide and rule politics along race and religion has greatly affected harmony among Sabahans who care nothing about one's race or religion but consider ourselves one big happy family.

Apart from Yong, other Sabah BN parties and their respective leaders are to be blamed for the sorry state that Sabah is in today. For none dare to stand up till the end. Many fell along the way, embracing Umno and BN politics and becoming ‘yes men’.

Sure, this the right time for Sabah MPs to make and get demands from Abdullah/Umno//BN. And play hard ball with Anwar and PR - the PM and government-in waiting respectively.

Abdullah and BN would not handle the Sabah cause and the party is already losing much support from Sabahans after March 8. That leaves Anwar and PR.

The question is, can we Sabahans trust Yong, Sapp and Anwar and Parti Keadilan Rakyat?

Can we trust both men and parties to pursue and fulfil the Sabah cause - and not their respective personal political interests - as to what happened some 14 years ago? Will they betray Sabah once again?

We can only hope that both men and their parties would honour their word. We can only hope they are men of principles. Otherwise, we, voters know exactly what to do with these kind of people come elections. Time will tell.