Its Youth chief, Abdul Aziz Julkarnain, described Harris’s remarks as shocking, stating a former state leader should not have uttered such words.
“Is reclaiming Sabah rights, as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), making us less patriotic? Absolutely not.
“On the contrary, respecting and implementing MA63, which was the foundation for the formation of Malaysia and the Federal Constitution, will make us more patriotic,” he said here today.
Yesterday, Warisan’s MA63 bureau secretary Mazliwati Abdul Malek Chua had also slammed Harris who she accused of scare-mongering Sabahans with his remarks.
Harris, in a statement to a local daily on Monday, alleged that Sabah and Sarawak leaders were fighting blindly for equal partnership.
Harris said that while all talk on such a partnership focused on Sabah and Sarawak, the leaders in the peninsula had been keeping quiet.
He also described Malaya as a “sleeping tiger” that the state must not disturb, adding that the Bornean states’ demands may result in the federal government asking Sabah to pay a equal share for defence.
Aziz said the facts raised by Harris in his statement were contentious, particularly on Sabah and Sarawak being treated and administered as just one of 13 states since the conception of Malaysia.
He urged Harris to check his facts, citing an excerpt from a parliamentary debate by Malaysia’s first prime minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, on April 28, 1962 as a reference.
Aziz quoted Tunku, who said: “When the Borneo territories become part of Malaysia, they will cease to be a colony of Britain, and they will not be a colony of Malaya – I thought I made it clear – they will be partners of equal status.”
Aziz said it was by this understanding that Malaysia was formed.
“His (Harris) statement, which claimed there was no equal status between Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya, and instead suggesting that all the states (including Sabah and Sarawak) are actually equal is an effort to deny Sabah and Sarawak’s equal status in the country.”
Aziz also questioned why Harris had not voiced out against the amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution, through Act A354 on Aug 27, 1976, which demoted Sabah and Sarawak to be among the states in Malaysia.
Harris led Sabah as chief minister from 1976 to 1985.
“Harris had denied the Berjaya government’s involvement in this during his term as chief minister but why didn’t he speak up and demand that the status be restored? Could he not as the Keningau MP in 1977 do this?
“I want to ask Harris, for the record, did he agree with the amendment or was he against it?”
He said the amendment eventually cost both Borneon territories in terms of development when compared to Malaya.
At the same time, he also urged Harris to explain the reason behind the rush to ink the oil royalty agreement on June 14, 1976.
“Does he know the Borneon territories, which contribute 40% to the nation’s income from the oil and gas sector, are among the poorest in the country?
“Why does he need to question the efforts by present leaders now in reclaiming the rights taken by the federal government and which his government back then failed to protect?” Aziz asked.
Instead of making such statements, he urged Harris to back the host of leaders fighting for Sabah and Sarawak’s rights.