SAPP backs Jeffrey's call for an autonomous Sabah
By Queville To
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) fully supports PKR vice-president Jeffery Kitingan’s statement calling for the withdrawal of peninsular-based political parties from Sabah and Sarawak.
The opposition party said they agreed with Kitingan that only the restoration of the initial intention and the real spirit when forming Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963, will iron out the kinks that have led Sabah on a downward spiral.
SAPP treasurer-general Wong Yit Ming said Kitingan's call to give back autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak would clear the way for a coalition at federal level.
“The purpose of forming Malaysia by our forefather was to have Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya to be the equal partners with equal powers and status," said Wong in a statement issued here on Monday.
"Sabah should not be in equivalent status with the existing states within Malaya because it was Malaya who signed the Malaysia agreement not the individual states."
He said it was wrong for the ruling Barisan Nasional government to tell Sabah is just one the thirteen states making up the federation.
Wong noted that several of the state's rights outlined in the 20 points had been whittled down by the federal government of the years due to subjugation by the federal government leaders.
“Therefore the amendment of Sabah constitution and the downgrading of Sabah's rights as voluntary as stated by Sabah Umno leaders is an insult to the wisdom of Sabahans,” he said.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/sabah-and-sarawak/5966-sapp-backs-jeffreys-call-for-an-autonomous-sabah
