By Sri Tanjong Assemblyman Chan Foong Hin
All Sabahan and Sarawakian parties, even as chapters of national parties or members of national coalitions, including UMNO Sabah, must not let their political affiliation compromise the right of Sabah and Sarawak to participate in national decision-making.
Responding to the call by Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah secretary Abdul Rahman Dahlan that DAP Sabah must state it’s stand on the implementation of Hudud in the state, DAP Sabah’s stand is crystal clear in the regard; We do not agree to Hudud in all the states of Malaysia, given that Malaysia was formed as a secular federation in 1963 and any Hudud law passed at state level is unconstitutional unless the entire federal arrangement is renegotiated.
With grave concern, I view certain groups that are dealing with the Hudud issue as an exclusively Malayan issue, which only involves Malayans or Malays.
No Malayans should subconsciously harbor the “colonial master” mentality that decisions can be made in Kuala Lumpur without consulting Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
Sabahans and Sarawakians today will not tolerate any unilateral attempt to alter the nature of the Federation of Malaysia without consulting the people of the two states.
Any party trying to push their agenda through majoritarian politics should bear full responsibility for any implications of their actions that may undo Malaysia.
All parties should accept that Malaysia is a federation formed with equal partnership of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and then Singapore. All matters affecting the fundamental nature of the Federation of Malaysia must be decided in an inclusive and consensual manner, and not by majoritarian voting.
The unilateral decision of Tunku and UMNO to expel Singapore from Malaysia without consulting Sabah and Sarawak had greatly affected Sabahans and Sarawakians, and is one of the very reasons until today Sabahans and Sarawakians experience second-class citizenship in the eyes of Kuala Lumpur.
Therefore, I urge UMNO Sabah not to follow in the footsteps of their master in Kuala Lumpur blindly to echo the implementation of state level Hudud law, without considering the unique multiculturalism context of Sabah. Furthermore, UMNO supreme council member from Sabah should present their Sabahan’s view to UMNO Malaya that secular federalism is much more suitable to this multicultural country.
Can Abdul Rahman Dahlan voice this out as a Sabahan leader in the UMNO supreme council meeting?
