Sabah should work with Sarawak to get more – PBM president

PENAMPANG (June 29): The best way for Sabah now is to work with Sarawak, said Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Datuk Larry Sng Wei Shien.

“When we work together, we can achieve anything under the sun,” he said.

Larry added that it was important to go down to the grassroots to meet and tell the people that the best way for Sabah now is to work with Sarawak as by joining hands, they are more likely to get more.

He reminded that Sabah’s problems have prevailed despite having national parties the likes of Barisan Nasional (BN) and said that Sarawak already knows the answer.

“Why? For Sarawak we already know the answer. We must rely on local party. When we have local parties, we solve our own problems. We take instructions from no one else. We take our instructions from local leaders,” he said.

“In Sabah, if the people here are open minded to receive the formula, although there are several groups in Sabah, but as long as they work with Sarawak, I believe we can achieve more than what we have now,” he added.

Larry, who was launching the PBM Sabah Liaison office at Donggongon Point Township on Saturday, said that Sarawak has already solved her infrastructure issues, her water issues as well as issues from the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) discussions.

“I think we should use that leverage to work with Sabahans so that we can attain more autonomy here. For Sarawak, we try to get more autonomy; (for example) we can try to get autonomy in healthcare. Why don’t Sabah join us also?” We can get more than what we ask for or what we have now,” he said.

He stressed that it was important to fight for Sabah’s and Sarawak’s rights and reminded that these rights can only be achieved when the Borneo Solution is adopted, not the West Malaysian Solution.

“What we want to do is find Borneo Solution. For the longest time, we have been left behind. It is only in the last five years that we see change in Sarawak due to political stability and (Sarawak’s) increased kingmaker role in Malaysian politics,” he said.

“Similarly, Sabah will have to realise that Sabah can achieve the same thing if they come together with Sarawak. The Borneo identity is a better image. Not just an image but a solution for East Malaysia. Only then can we solve all these issues such as water, electricity, immigration. We know how to solve the problem.

“We don’t need to bother about the 3R (Race, Religion, Royalty) issues. It is not a Sabahan problem. Our problem is not getting enough money and we deserve it. Only after we are united with political stability can we achieve them,” he said.

Larry also mentioned that PBM’s mission to stand in Sabah is to develop the State.

He also said that the majority of PBM’s leaders are from Sabah and Sarawak.

On the party’s preparation for the upcoming Sabah State Election (PRN), he said that it was too soon to say anything on who would be contesting and where they would be contesting.

“PBM will be contesting at several places. But it is dependent on Sabah where and who would be contesting. We will make an announcement (later),” he said.

“We still haven’t decided yet because between the PRN and now, there is still time and there is a probably that there will be changes, so I feel, presently, we will make a decision when PRN draws nearer. I know we will be contesting,” he said.

He added that PBM plans to “go solo” in the coming Sabah state election and not merge with any other political parties.

“I think at this moment, it would be better for us to go solo since the situation in Sabah is quite different and there are too many candidates in the election. If we merge with any party, at the end of the day it would be free fight also. I don’t see any advantage to merge with anyone. It is better for us to go on our own for this PRN.

“Because this is our first time contesting. After getting the result, we shall decide our direction and who we will work with in the future,” he said.

Larry also said that PBM now has thousands of members and the number is nearly the same for Sabah and Sarawak.

He added that the people’s response to the party has been encouraging and perhaps this could be translated during the PRN later.

PBM has seven divisions in Sabah, most of which are rural KDMR (Kadazan, Dusun, Murut, Rungus) areas comprising of Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Ranau, Penampang, Putatan, Pensiangan and Tuaran.

Larry said that the party’s focus on KDMR areas was because the majority of its members are KDMR.

Nevertheless, he said that PBM membership is open to all and is not restricted to the KDMR communities.

“Perhaps in the near future, the Bajau areas, the Chinese, the Malays — we will accept,” he said.

“If we have the Chinese, Malays and other races joining our party, we can set up more divisions and go to other places. PBM is not just serving the KDMR communities but the entire Sabah and Malaysia. But our focus now is Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.