The State Reform Party (Star) of Sabah has said that the proposed talks on national reconciliation and national consensus would only be meaningful if leaders from Sabah and Sarawak are also involved.

Party head Jeffrey Kitingan (right) was commenting the proposal by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for bipartisan discussion of issues threatening religious freedom and racial harmony.

BN head and premier Najib Abdul Razak has endorsed the proposal.

“Sabah and Sarawak issues should not be left on the back-burner as though these do not exist or are not national issues. ... Many of the issues are of national concern and affect the whole nation,” noted Jeffrey.

“The 95 percent revenue taken by Petronas and the federal government, and the wanton and unwarranted issuance of dubious MyKad to foreigners in Sabah are not localised issues.

Some of these foreigners ... have already infiltrated into the peninsula.

“The importation of Umno/Malayan hegemony into the Borneo states and the malaise and disease brought about by racial and religious issues from the peninsula and the restriction of freedom of religion should be stopped.

“If unresolved, these so-called Sabah and Sarawak issues could lead to the break-up of the federation.”

Jeffrey insisted that federal leaders on both political divide re-educate themselves as to how Sabah and Sarawak entered the federation to form Malaysia in 1963.

“They need to discard the mentality that ‘Malaysia’ (only) means the peninsula or that Sabah and Sarawak are irrelevant. ‘Nationals’ should not (only) mean Malays, Chinese and Indians, with the people in Sabah and Sarawak (deemed) as ‘others’ and therefore irrelevant.

“The people in the peninsula, due to government policy and administration, are taught to look at themselves as Malays, Chinese and Indians.

“This is not the case in Sabah and Sarawak where the people stand united as Sabahans and Sarawakians and are not (categorised on the basis of) race or religion.”

Cabinet or Umno in charge?

Jeffrey urged the federal government, Umno and certain racial-centric NGOs to stop condoning, promoting and inciting racial and religious hatred.

"Racial and religious tension and intolerance are probably at their highest level. Yet, the prime minister, the cabinet and the federal government have gone on leave and failed to address this pressing issue.

“All non-Umno BN component parties and federal ministers need to reassess their effectiveness and position in the coalition.  

“Even on the 10-point Solution, it shows that the Umno supreme council is higher in authority than the cabinet. After the Umno supreme council meeting, the PM as Umno president announced that the 10-point Solution is subject to state laws and that non-Muslims must adhere to state laws.   

“Should Umno be making this decision? Isn’t the cabinet the highest authority of government? ... Has the cabinet sub-contracted its powers to Umno? Can the cabinet over-ride the decisions of Umno?”

Jeffrey pointed out that freedom of religion in the Borneo states has led to racial and religious harmony and unity.  

“It is the very fabric of life ...  What Umno, the religious bigots, extremists and political opportunists wish to achieve in the peninsula by using race and religion has no place in Sabah and Sarawak,” he added.

The writer, who uses a pseudonym, is based in Sarawak.