Federal, Sarawak govts must couragerously rethink relationship based on respect, not dominance

Voon Lee Shan

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Feb 3: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan has urged both the federal and Sarawak governments to courageously explore lawful, constitutional and democratic mechanisms to redefine their relationship, stressing that Sarawak’s position is clear, in that partnership must be based on respect, not dominance, and cooperation, not compulsion.

In a statement today, Voon said history has shown that political unions can only endure when they are grounded in mutual respect, fairness and good faith, pointing to Singapore’s departure from Malaysia in 1965 as a reminder of what can happen when prolonged political and economic disagreements remain unresolved.

“The lesson from history is not division for its own sake, but the necessity of honest negotiation and respect for agreed rights,” he said.

Voon said Sarawak is currently facing a serious constitutional and economic dispute over the control and management of its oil and gas resources, which he described as fundamental to the State’s development and never intended to be stripped of local authority without consent.

He said the decision by Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) and its subsidiaries to pursue legal action against the Sarawak government reflects a breakdown of cooperative federalism and a failure to resolve differences through consultation and political goodwill.

“Sarawak is not asking for conflict. Sarawak is asserting rights guaranteed under the Federal Constitution, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and the principles upon which Malaysia was formed,” he said.

According to Voon, when a federal arrangement no longer functions equitably, the responsible course of action is not coercion or litigation against a partner State, but sincere dialogue, transparent negotiations and constitutional solutions.

He said if political and economic disagreements cannot be resolved through good-faith engagement, then both governments must be prepared to explore options such as enhanced autonomy, revised resource governance, or a new federal settlement that reflects present realities.

“Unity imposed without justice is not unity; it is imbalance,” he added.

Voon stressed that the future of the federation should not hinge on who controls resources through force of law, but on whether Malaysia can honour its founding promises and treat its constituent States as equal partners.

He also rejected any suggestion that his remarks amounted to a call for disorder, saying instead that they were a call for fairness, constitutionalism and political maturity.

“This is so that disputes are resolved not through confrontation, but through principles worthy of a democratic nation,” he said.

Voon added that many Sarawakians are now sincerely questioning whether there can be mutual respect and a peaceful relationship between Sarawak and Malaya within the federation, and whether, if political hostilities cannot be resolved, parties should seriously consider parting ways amicably as was done between Singapore and Malaya in 1965. — DayakDaily