Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said although the “Sabah for Sabahans” idea had local appeal, touching on autonomy and the state’s identity, in the long run it was incompatible with the need for federal cooperation.
He said Sabah needed to work well with the federal government, as the state’s development would hinge on its political alignment and not isolation.
A state government comprising only local parties did not guarantee greater autonomy or development, Awang Azman added.
He said Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 could be fulfilled more quickly with collaboration between the state and federal governments.
“Sabah is in need of integration, not isolation,” he told FMT. “The ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ slogan is a political narrative, not a blueprint for development.”
He also said that the strength of a state was not contingent on the parties forming its government, but on an efficient administration.
He was commenting on a call by Sabah elders and party leaders, who at a roundtable on Saturday said the election on Nov 29 should serve as a referendum on forming a government made up solely of Sabahan parties.
Among those who took part were Parti Bersatu Sabah founder Pairin Kitingan, Upko founder Bernard Dompok, former chief justice Richard Malanjum, Upko president Ewon Benedick, and Pairin’s brother, Jeffrey Kitingan, president of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku.
Awang Azman said a state government comprising local parties might put Sabah at a disadvantage when it came to talks with the federal government.
Such a state government could also lead to reduced allocations for development or delays in road and school projects, he said.
“Sabah still needs federal funds. A total rejection of peninsula-based parties may weaken Sabah’s leverage for funds.”
He also warned that Sabah parties were fraught with defections, leadership tussles and frail coalitions, which made a state government formed only by Sabah parties risky.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania said a state government comprising only local parties could cause a headache for the federal government
“A Sabahan-only government would push much harder for the full 40% revenue share. That would make talks with Putrajaya much harder for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.