COMMENT Politics in both the Bornean states will never be the same. Gone are the days when politicians in these states were subservient to the ones in the ruling coalition of BN. Over the last decade or so, the issue of autonomy has surfaced as prominent one; an issue that will either sore or heal the bedevilled nature of relationship between these two states and the federal government.

Sabah and Sarawak became the accepted members of the larger federation of Malaysia under the Malaysia Agreement of 1963. Thus, since the 1960s and until today there has been simmering of deteriorating relationship with the federal government controlled by the BN ruling coalition.

The urging for real autonomy to address the grievances of people in these two states came as result of the dissatisfaction with the nature and the contents of the Malaysia Agreement of 1963, lack of developmental funds, the sharing of resources especially petroleum, entry of too many West Malaysians especially Malays in state level employment, Umno’s entry into Sabah and the consequent racialisation of politics and many other related issues.

For a long time, many of the issues raised by native politicians and members of the civil society were dismissed by the federal government, given its comfortable two-thirds majority in the parliament. However, in the last one decade or so, things have been different. With the rise of opposition coalition in Malaysia beginning in 2008 and the fall of five states in the peninsula, the BN ruling coalition lost its two-third majority in the parliament.

Similarly the denial was also repeated after the 2013 general election. With the lack of particularly Malay support for Umno in the peninsula, there was re-awakening of sort for the BN coalition. Thus, to shore up political support, BN politicians especially from Umno had no choice but to turn their attention to the states of Sabah and Sarawak for the derivation of parliamentary majority.

In the last general election, without the  support of people Sabah and Sarawak, BN would have lost the elections. In term of popular votes, it was Pakatan that got the majority, although BN had edged the opposition in terms of more parliamentary seats.

The importance of the vote bank in Sabah and Sarawak was not lost upon local politicians and those who were aligned with BN. Demands started to rise from these two states for more autonomy and some group in Sarawak went to the extent of calling for secession from Malaysia. The loud urgings for autonomy were something that proved worrisome to Najib and his cabinet ministers.

It was in this context that an attempt was made to provide more cabinet positions for those from Sabah and Sarawak. In fact, Najib Abdul Razak in his recent visit to Sarawak even promised that there would be more autonomy provided for these two states. However, the question of autonomy for Sarawak and Sabah seemed to hinge on the issue of avoiding duplication in government services.

There seems to be sharp division between what Najib has in his mind and what people in Sabah and Sarawak expect. Giving more powers to these states to avoid duplication in government services will hardly address the long-standing issue of autonomy.

Expunging detrimental clauses

For those in Sabah and Sarawak, autonomy means revising the Malaysia Agreement of 1963, expunging the detrimental clauses that stands in the way of rights and privileges for these two states, more stake in the sharing of resources, providing more budgetary allocations, putting a stop to West Malaysians especially Malays from taking over jobs in these states and most importantly ensuring that Sabah and Sarawak are not merely classified as mere ‘states’ of the federation, but elevating them to be on par with peninsular Malaysia (in the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement of 1963).

People in Sabah and Sarawak are no fools. This time around they have found their strength in what they can deliver and not deliver during elections. Without the support from the people in these two states, BN is finished as a ruling coalition. But Najib, caught in the 1MDB financial scandal, seems not to know how to obtain the allegiance of people in these two states.

I think of his promise of autonomy is a bit too late and bit too immature. There is no way that people in these two states are going to accept what is offered by Najib as a way to address the long-standing question of autonomy.

Mere avoidance of duplication of government services is a nonsensical approach to autonomy or self-government. Najib has not only messed up the political and financial stability of Malaysia, he will perhaps go down in history as the prime minister who miserably failed to address and solve the myriad problems surrounding the issue of autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak.

What is needed in Sabah and Sarawak is for the federal government to form a royal commission of inquiry to review the Malaysia Agreement of 1963. This would be important start in addressing the fundamental issue of autonomy or lack of it.

I am sure that Sabahans and Sarawakians are not going to be fooled by Najib’s sugar-coated words on autonomy. Avoiding duplication of government services is not something is needed. It is a simple issue that can be resolved by some administrative changes. What is needed is a more fundamental approach to autonomy or federalism and the consequent restoration of rights of the people that have been taken away in the name of centralisation and national integration.

 

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.