Sabah’s maverick politician Jeffrey Kitingan has accused Umno of breaking up the federation of Malaysia with the rise of religious bigots and extremists with the Umno-led mobs turning everything into racial and religious intolerance.

“The recent events in the peninsula such as the rise of religious bigots and extremists and now violence with the non-appearance of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and the federal government on the ‘Allah’ issue and the Bible raid prove that the federation of Malaysia is breaking up and will soon reach the point of no-return,” said Jeffrey, who is Sabah State Reform Party (Star) chief.

“Even the sanctity of the Malay rulers is being manipulated by the (Umno) politicians to fuel further intolerance and to influence the outcome of pending court proceedings.

“With the latest episode on curbing the freedom of religion particularly for the non-Muslims in Sabah and Sarawak, the very basis of the formation of Malaysia is torn apart,” he said in a strongly worded statement received by Malaysiakini.

“The founding fathers from Sabah and Sarawak were visionary and clear in their thoughts on the basis of the formation of Malaysia in 1963. While they acknowledged that Islam would be the official religion, there would be freedom to practise other religions.

“This was the vision of Malaysia’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman when he delivered his speech in the Malayan Parliament on Oct 16, 1961,” he said.

“Tunku had said that ‘One reaction in the Borneo territories was that the Malaysian concept was an attempt to colonise the Borneo territories.

The answer to this was, as I said before, it is legally impossible for the federation to colonise because we desire that they should join us in the federation in equal partnership, enjoying the same status between one another, so there is no fear that Malaysia will mean that there will be an imposition of Islam on Borneo… Everybody is free to practise whatever religion’.

“Freedom of religion was of utmost importance and was made to be the first item on the 18-point/20-point Agreement that led to the Borneo states agreeing to the formation of Malaysia,” said Jeffrey when commenting on a call by Sarawak’s senior minister James Masing for the need to relook at the Malaysia agreement.

'1Malaysia slogan a hollow political gimmick'

He described the sickening strategy of Umno in playing with the race-religion card to pull in the rural Malays support so as to maintain their dwindling electoral support is pushing the nation to the brink of self-destruction in the peninsula.

“It has even reached the stage where the federal government ignores its own decision on the 10-point solution and the numerous promises of the PM to the people of Sabah and Sarawak on the freedom of religion.  

“The 1Malaysia slogan is a hollow political gimmick and the PM is no longer the prime minister for all Malaysians as he should be,” he added.

Pointing out that the people in Sabah and Sarawak had until now enjoyed peace and harmony among the various religions, Jeffrey said, “This very peace and harmony is threatened by the events in the peninsula which appear to be condoned by the Umno-led federal government and participated in by Umno leaders and members.

“Prior to this, the fundamental reasons and promises of security and development that Sabah and Sarawak were pushed to join in the merger to form Malaysia were proven to be illusory and not fulfilled.
 
“Instead of preventing the twin threats of the Philippines and Indonesia, Sabah is now overrun by Filipino and Indonesian immigrants illegally given ICs by the federal government, outnumbering local natives and other races,” he said.

“The federal government aided and funded the Muslim insurgency in Southern Philippines, even providing them with arms and weapons with training held in Sabah.

In an ironic twist, these insurgents, many with ICs and Umno memberships, invaded Lahad Datu in early 2013.   

“In a further twist, many of the insurgents who were killed were secretly buried by the authorities in various places in Sabah including in Keningau according to their purported place of birth in their dubious ICs,” he added.

Jeffrey lamented that after 50 years in Malaysia, development has not reached many parts of Sabah and Sarawak, and that there is not even clean treated water, electricity or good sealed roads in many places.   

He claimed that to make matters worse, the riches of Sabah and Sarawak oil and gas resources are “stolen” and used to develop Malaya, making Sabah and Sarawak the poorest and second poorest states respectively.   

“It is as clear as daylight that the basis for the formation of Malaysia has totally failed.  Malaysia is now a sad tale of broken promises and shattered dreams.   

“What is next for Sabah and Sarawak – continue in Malaysia or go the way of Singapore and Brunei, which have fared much better without Malaysia?” he asked.