Jambun: Lessons for M’sia in UK referendum on EU

KOTA KINABALU:

There are lessons for Malaysia, especially Sabah and Sarawak, in the imminent referendum in the United Kingdom (UK) on the country’s continued membership in the European Union (EU),” said human rights advocate Daniel John Jambun in a telephone interview. “The British people see some apparent contradictions in the UK remaining an ‘open, democratic and liberal society’ in charge of its own destiny and the country’s present membership in the EU.”

Jambun, who heads the UK-based Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (Bopim), added that the British people may not be able to reconcile their aspirations with the fact that the EU has emerged as a bureaucratic state whose priorities are driven by centralization in Brussels, Belgium, and not the ideals that they have in mind. “Malaysia, likewise, has degenerated over the years from a Federation into a unitary state, not what the Founding Fathers in Borneo and Malaya envisaged.”

If the UK referendum is all about the relationship between Britain and the EU, continued Jambun, patently the nature of the relationship between Sabah and Sarawak on the one hand, and the Malayan Government, now the Malaysian Government, remains to be worked out. “Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak indicated in an interview on TV on Tuesday night that progress has been made on this with the Sarawak Government in the devolution of powers in 13 administrative areas.”

As in the case of the UK with the EU, reiterated Jambun, Sabah and Sarawak need to work out the nature of their relationship with the Federal Government in Putrajaya. “This is a matter for the Sabah and Sarawak Assemblies to consider and decide and the Sabah and Sarawak Governments and the state secretaries to follow up with the Chief Secretary and the Prime Minister as a matter of formality, decency and courtesy.”

Jambun was commenting on Najib conceding that there needs to be further engagement between the Federal and Sarawak Governments on whether there were any state powers which had been usurped by the former over the years. “If so, we will return such powers, in line with the aspirations of the people of Sarawak, as demonstrated in the just concluded state election,” the Bopim Chief quoted Najib as saying.

The bottomline, said Najib, is that “Sarawak has chosen independence through Malaysia and the question of that nation leaving the Federation does not arise”, Jambun further quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

Needless to say, reminded Jambun, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) governs the relationship of Sabah and Sarawak with Putrajaya. “MA63 is an International Agreement and Trust Deed lodged with the UN Secretary General.”

“The question of a referendum along the lines in the UK on the EU does not arise.”

Since MA63 was above the Federal Constitution and the Malaysian Parliament, he does not see how the Federal Government could have usurped powers that belong to the two Borneo states. “The Prime Minister virtually admitting this during his TV interview was a dramatic moment which puts the rest of his remarks in the shade.”

Najib’s statements on Sarawak, while at the same time not mentioning Sabah which is “in the same boat”, was driven by “collective amnesia”, charged Jambun. “Sarawak was independent on 22 July 1963 i.e. before Malaysia on 16 September 1963.”

“Sarawak being independent through Malaysia is a misnomer.”

Again, said the human rights advocate, Sabah was independent on 31 August 1963, before Malaysia.

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Jambun: Lessons for M’sia in UK referendum on EU

The nature of the relationship between Sabah and Sarawak on the one hand, and the Malayan Government, now the Malaysian Government, remains to be worked out.