FORMULA 1 BY ONE

           

By : LAWRENCE LEONG

PRIOR to 16/09/1962, apart from a very brief period 16 days, from 31/09/1962, when self-governance was granted to North Borneo, so short a period, that it failed to register in our minds the significance of a truly independent North Borneo.

Before it even began to sink in, into the Psyche of the generations of that time, our Founding Fathers, crossed the 'T" and dotted the 'I' in good faith. No living fossils of that generations will contest with Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, the former State Secretary of Sabah, when he said,' Sabah was better under the British'.

Our Founding Fathers were simple people with sincere hearts, but unschooled or equipped with limited knowledge of the complicity of Politics and Human Behaviour, but certainly not naive or gullible , at least not in toto, when they led North Borneo into EQUAL Partnerships with Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak.

They put in place, safe guards known to us as MA63 and for added measure, as a physical reminder, The BATU SUMPAH', of this equal partnership. They thought that these were enough as a 'fail-safe system', for Sabahans of their generations and future generations for the good time to begin. Indeed, our future looked bright, in the beginning.

Every Sabahan was on party mode, rocking and rolling. Divide and rule was not in our dictionary. Even if we know of these words, the meaning was alien. History has and will back us up, that unfortunately for us, our Founding Fathers were sincerely wrong.

Tengku A.R., Bapa Malaysia, I believed had good intentions, in inviting North Borneo to form Malaysia, maybe thinking that his successors will be of like minds to him, with his missions and visions.

How wrong he was, how wrong he was. In 1971, he resigned from the presidency of UMNO and left. Never in his decent intentions, did he realised, that the wily and crafty Prime Ministers that succeeded him, not only shattered his dreams, but smashed Sabah's safe-guards to smithereens. First, they rob us, then they change our demographics, only to benefit a few chosen ones.

Fast forward to this day, a very short period of 49 years, in the twinkling of an eye, compared to the great civilisations of Egypt, Roman and China, - our copper - gone, timber- nothing much left to be proud of, but still being exploited. Same with our natural resources from our seas.

The largest and most glaring treasures left - oil and gas is being stolen at quantum speed, twenty-four (hrs) seven (days). Oil and gas in graphic terms, come in the form of a bell curve pattern. It starts low and rises, hit its peak and come down like a slippery slide, if you like, then DIES off.

The meagre 5% was not even royalty per se. Pakatan Rakyaat proudly proclaimed that Sabah royalty will increase to 20%. I interpret this as,( if or when) take your pick, PR forms GOM, Sabah only needs to contribute 80% of our depleting wealth to Putra Jaya. Simple maths testify that Sabah will be 15% better off than under the brazenly obvious corrupt hegemony regime of BN .

Should we start jumping with the extra peanuts thrown our way, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that the 'peanut-farm' owners are Sabahans? I DO NOT THINK SO. By virtue of the fact that Malaya has 2 oil producing States, which is 1 more than Us/Sarawak. Geographically speaking, W. Malaysia is 132,090 sq. km. and E. Malaysia is 198,847 sq.km. and yet we are the POOREST and most UNDER developed.

So, why 20% of what is ' 100 % OURS'? How does PR justify this and where did the magic figure of 20% come from? Why not 19.9% or 70%? Should not PR Sabah members also question this, how come they are so quiet, esp. PKR members, unlike their Sarawak counterpart (lest I am accused of being unfair)?

The Buku Jingga also proudly proclaimed that S/S will be granted autonomy, is this not obvious that Sabah PKR members also have autonomous rights to raise issues (not only kacang putih issues lah) that impact on our quality of life and standard of living.

Is it not time you open up your 'lubang nasi'? Shrinking violets have no right to represent Sabahans. Stop pointing your fingers at me, Frank, Peter, etc. Claire & I am NOT politicians.

The fighting spirits of our Past Warriors - Ontoros Antenom, Mat Salleh and Albert Kwok must not be forgotten. Let us 'TUKAR' not just the baju, but chalana, setoking and kasut, against BN, who in collaboration with Sabah 'traitors', betrayed Sabahans for 30 pieces of silver.

Let us change, not for change sake, but change with our rights and honour reclaim as initially intended by our Founding Fathers, whilst at the same time putting their spirits to rest ( no offence intended), including those who tragically died before their time during Double Six'.

Let GE13 be the genesis of the first step towards full filling the missions and visions of the essence and spirit of MA63 on the Unionisation of our Nations. Let us challenge BN, ONE TO ONE.