Sabah For Sabahans Isn T A Call To Reject Federation Says Masidi

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The GRS secretary-general says the slogan highlights the aspirations of Sabahans who yearn for fairness and equal opportunity.GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said the ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ slogan meant giving more opportunities to Sabahans in employment and leadership and ensuring their rights under MA63 are restored. (Wikipedia pic)PETALING JAYA: A Gabungan Rakyat Sabah leader said the “Sabah for Sabahans” slogan should not be misinterpreted as a call for separation from the federation
It is also not a show of hostility towards national politics, GRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said.
Masidi explained that the slogan underscored the aspirations of Sabahans who yearn for fairness and equal opportunity.
“When we say ‘Sabah for Sabahans’, it doesn’t mean we are rejecting Malaysia or national politics.
“It means giving more opportunities to Sabahans in employment, in leadership, and ensuring our rights under MA63 are restored,” he said in a podcast tonight.
Masidi said the sentiment behind the phrase stemmed from a long-standing belief among Sabahans that they had been left behind in terms of representation and development.
He also spoke about the importance of strengthening local-based political parties to ensure that Sabah would be “heard” at the national level.
“This is the right time to empower local parties so that Sabah can be one of the main players shaping the history of politics in Malaysia.”
He said Sabah’s shift towards state-based politics was a natural evolution following the changing political landscape in West Malaysia.
In May, Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi labelled the “Sabah for Sabahans” sentiment divisive.
The deputy prime minister said it is also counterproductive as Sabah is a member of the federation, and maintaining a close relationship with Putrajaya is key to the state’s prosperity and development.
“We want cooperation between parties at both the federal and state levels so that there are no ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ sentiment. After all, we are all Malaysians,” he was reported as saying. - FMT

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