Sabah should emulate Sarawak CM

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) saluted the new Sarawak Chief Minister and hit State Government's firm stand in safeguarding Sarawakian interests, which it said should be emulated by the Sabah State Government.

Its Deputy President Datuk Eric Majimbun. who said this, also urged the Sabah Chief Minister and State Government to state its stand on what was raised by Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem on the oil royalty increase and soon.

Adenan was reported Monday as hoping to get the Federal Government to agree to 20 per cent oil royalty for Sarawak. saying he would ask the Federal Government if they could accommodate the request.

Believing the Federal Government will consider it favourably. Adenan said the present 5 per cent oil and gas royalty rate is a common complaint by Sarawakians and Sabahans, usually talked about in the same breath as their relative lack of development.

The Sarawak Chief Minister also spoke about Sarawak and Sabah asking the Federal Government to honour the Malaysia Agreement, saying the relationship between Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak cannot be the same as that of. for instance, KL and Pahang, because Sarawak enjoys autonomy due to the fact that it did not join but helped to form Malaysia in 1963.

Adenan said its relationship with the Federal Government must be constitutionally correct and that they are an autonomous state according to the Malaysia Agreement.

" We did not join Malaysia, we are a party to the formation of Malaysia. There was no Malaysia to join before signing of the Malaysia Agreement. We are equal partners to the Federation. There are some who feel that they are not but generally we are. All alone we must insist on our autonomy and I think in some ways it is respected. But it depends on how assertive we are with regards to our rights," said Adenan.

Praising Adenan for his boldness and firmness in fighting for and protecting the interests of Sarawakians, Majimbun. who was formerly Sepanggar MP, said he and the party wondered what actually is the stand of Adenan's counterpart in Sabah and the Slate Government itself.

The Sabah Chief Minister and State Government should wake up and uphold the Malaysia Agreement...matters related to immigration and other Sabahan rights must be reviewed to ensure they go according to the Malaysia Agreement which was written and agreed upon for safeguarding Sabah," said Majimbun.