Push for Sabah, S'wak's independence: Next stop UN

 comments: Danildaud

" This is one serious issue , what will the implications be like?

 Sabahan's and for that matter Sarawakian's need to give careful thought over the consequences and atrocities that may come their way if plans to secede the Malaysian Federation takes place.

The idea of self governance may appear nice on the surface but as we dwell deeper into the subject matter , we are compel to come face to face with the overwhelming risk of bloodshed and other major problems that will likely arise in going about implementing  let alone achieving , a secure and sovereign nation  , notwithstanding  the quest for independence is through the negotiation table ."

     By Athi Shankar


GEORGE TOWN: A group of prominent politicians and social activists from East Malaysia are seriously contemplating pulling out Sabah and Sarawak from the Federation of Malaysia.
They are planning to take up their case to the United Nations to hold a referendum on the status of the Borneo states as independent nations.
They no longer want their states to be under the clutches of the Umno-led Putrajaya administration.
The group has already sought legal advice from the international community to explore all orderly and democratic means to legally declare Sabah and Sarawak as separate sovereign states.
Sources said the group was keen to avoid any civil unrest, bloodshed and armed conflict with the central government, features usually associated with separatist movements.
“They want to resolve the pressing issue by peaceful and civilised means,” said the source.
It’s learnt that about seven representatives from the group met London-based Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairman P Waytha Moorthy in Indonesia early this week to discuss the matter.
Sources close to the group said the activists sought Waytha Moorthy’s help to facilitate their imminent representation in the UN.
It’s learnt that Waytha Moorthy had agreed to assist them, with the help of several influential international organisations.
Waytha Moorthy recently facilitated a group of activists to air their grouses and grievances against the federal government at the UK Parliament.
'Systematic looting and plundering'
The group of activists are deeply perturbed by the federal government’s alleged violations of the states’ rights, interests and benefits for more than four decades since the formation of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
“The group is angry over the systematic looting and plundering of the states’ wealth by Umno and its cronies,” said a source.
Sabah, Sarawak, Malaya and Singapore formerly joined Malaysia in 1963. However, Singapore left the Federation in 1965.
The Sabah and Sarawak activists believe that just like Singapore, their states too can pull out from Malaysia.
Sabah and Sarawak are two natural resources rich provinces in Malaysia, with massive wealth potentials in oil reserves and forestry.
However, Sabahans and Sarawakians are convinced that they have remained poor due to the federal government's “manipulation and usurpation” of their power to self-determine their own affairs.
Unhappy over petro dollars
They are crying foul over the mere five percent royalty cut received for their own oil, while the Putrajaya administration “steals” 95 percent of petro dollars.
“People from both Sabah and Sarawak realise that they are being short-changed. They know there has been daylight robbery of their god-given richness,” said a source.
Another contentious issue is the existence of an estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrants as rightful citizens in Sabah.
Sabahans termed the illegal immigrants, mostly Filipino and Indonesian Muslims, as former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s legacy.
“The government since under Mahathir has systematically brought in these aliens and granted them citizenships. These aliens are now legal MyKad holders in Sabah. It’s absolutely outrageous and ludicrous,” said the source.
The illegal immigrant issue in Sarawak is not as disturbing as in Sabah although it is equally damaging.
'Raping of forest wealth'
The major issue in Sarawak is the “raping of state forest wealth” by the Umno-backed Taib Mahmud’s government at the expense of the indigenous population.
The natives are also disgruntled by the usurpation of their customary land rights by the authorities despite a recent apex court ruling against it.
Sabahans and Sarawakians are also said to be peeved with the “Malay-nisation and Islamisation” process of their states’ bureaucracy and political systems.
Activists claimed that the federal government had appointed native Muslims to helm various ministerial portfolios and government departments to hasten and fasten this process.
“These Muslim leaders and bureaucratic heads are puppets dancing to the tune played by their masters in Putrajaya,” said the source

Oil royalty explanation is insult to intelligence, says Ku Li. But he is guilty as hell for having helped draft such a lopsided deal.

Oil royalty explanation is insult to intelligence, says Ku Li
By Adib Zalkapli
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 — Petronas founder Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah today rubbished attempts by the federal government to explain, through newspaper advertisements, its refusal to pay the Kelantan government oil royalty.
“The advertisement fails to point out that almost all the oil found in Malaysia is located more than three nautical miles offshore, and Petronas has nevertheless been making oil payments to the states,” said the Gua Musang MP in a statement today.
The Information, Communication and Culture Ministry yesterday took out full-page advertisements, in Malay weeklies, consisting of a list of eight questions and answers to rebut Tengku Razaleigh’s argument that Kelantan, as well as other states, are entitled to the five per cent oil royalty under the Petroleum Development Act 1974.

In late January, Tengku Razaleigh had spoken in support of Kelantan’s demand at a rally in Kota Baru. Apart from the advertisement, leaflets discrediting the Kelantanese have also been distributed in the state to counter his arguments.
The federal government’s main argument is that oil and gas are extracted from waters that are beyond the three-nautical mile limit prescribed as territorial waters under Malaysia’s Emergency Ordinance (Essential Powers) No 7 1969.
“By the argument deployed in the advertisement, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak too are not entitled to the 'cash payments' of 5 per cent of profit from oil,” said Tengku Razaleigh.
“The argument for depriving Kelantan of 5 per cent cash payments on the basis of its petroleum resources being found beyond 3 nautical miles is an insult to the intelligence,” he added.
The Gua Musang Umno chief said that the implication of the argument is that Terengganu has no right to receive the cash payment which was reinstated early last year.
The royalty was revoked in 2000 after PAS won control of the Terengganu state government a year earlier.
“All of Terengganu’s oil is found very far offshore. In this matter whatever holds for Kelantan holds for Terengganu and vice versa,” said Tengku Razaleigh.
He also claimed that he had never supported the federal government in revoking the Terengganu oil royalty a decade ago.
“In fact, as a BN backbencher at the time I opposed the federal government’s intervention to prevent Petronas from making oil payments to Terengganu and the move to channel those funds instead into ‘wang ihsan’,” said Tengku Razaleigh.
“Tun Salleh Abbas and I offered ourselves as witnesses to the Terengganu state government in the suit it filed against the federal government to recover those oil payments,” he added, referring to the former Lord President.
Tengku Razaleigh said the Petroleum Development Act was designed to protect the interest of the poor states as was the intention of former Prime Minister Tun Razak Hussein.
“I traversed the country to sign this agreement with each chief minister of each state government. Tun Razak was driven by the nation-building concern that these poorer east coast areas, which are also predominantly Malay areas, should benefit directly from offshore oil, and I drafted the Petroleum Development Act to reflect that concern,” said Tengku Razaleigh.
“It is this benefit to the people which Umno Kelantan opposes 34 years after the death of Tun Razak,” he added.
He urged the federal government to set political differences aside and let payment be made to the Kelantan government.