By their very nature, we cannot escape the fact that no matter where in the world, federal arrangements will lead sooner or later to ugly, acrimonious, and bitter controversies and confrontations.
The history of federations is littered with political stillbirths and abortions, and the Malaysian federation is beginning to show cracks with Kelantan, on at least two occasions, expressing unhappiness over the handling of oil revenues by the central government, and now Sabah, to a less extent Sarawak, complaining about not getting a fair crack of the whip in what they see as a hopelessly unequal partnership.
Sabah and Sarawak are the two survivors of the countries, (Singapore opted out after two years) that agreed to join Malaya to create a new country called Malaysia based largely on the Federation of Malaya constitutional model. Federation in the Malaysian context is a myth. We are a unitary state and governed as such from Kuala Lumpur with no pretence that it is otherwise. Without the entry of Sabah and Sarawak, agreeing to come in and lending their considerable weight to the Malaysia concept, there would have been no Malaysia to begin with.
Singapore saw very quickly that it was going to be treated no better than any of the Malay States in the Federation of Malaya and made a hasty exit. It has never looked back. Sabah and Sarawak did not at their then stage of development appreciate what they had got themselves into.
Today, in these two countries, there is a heightened awareness of the distortions and contradictions in the federal arrangements that leave Sabah and Sarawak, the second and third legs of the Malaysian body politic in a limbo.
Their position cannot by any stretch of the imagination be regarded as in any way subservient to the Malay States collectively known as Malaya or sometimes referred to as Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia is in effect a tripartite arrangement that should confer equality of treatment. But in reality, the three component parties are not in all respects. Sabah and Sarawak deserve better.
This leads me to a consideration of the urgent need to recognise the importance of Sabah and Sarawak in the overall scheme of things by giving them their rightful place as equal partners and be treated as such. I repeat that they are not Malay states. They have their own proud traditions and identities and resent being exploited by Malaya-based political parties looking to bolster their chances of forming the federal government. Sabahans and Sarawakians have attained a level of social and political development when they may reasonably expect to play a bigger and more meaningful role in their countries' affairs.
They have benefited from their association with us, and we should be happy to let them develop on their own. They must be given a bigger voice in the running not only their countries, but also Malaysia as a whole. There is no place for overbearing condescension over people who more than four decades ago were persuaded against their better judgement to throw in their lot with a political arrangement they did not fully understand.
I cannot see these two countries not flexing their muscle and demanding a more just and equitable role for themselves consistent with their enhanced level of political maturity. It is better to be proactive in defusing their sense of injustice before matters go out of hand. We need to revisit the constitutional arrangements we have with Sabah and Sarawak and for this purpose a group of experts from Sabah and Sarawak, together with those representing the Government of Malaysia be appointed.
I believe there is still a great deal of goodwill for Malaysia, but it has to be a new Malaysia in which Sabah and Sarawak can see themselves playing a bigger role commensurate with their true worth and value as important lynchpins in the whole mechanics for sustainable growth of the nation.
If we cannot meet the legitimate aspirations of these countries, then we should let them go free if this is what they really want. I know the Malaysian Constitution does not allow states to secede from the federation, but the thing here is that if they want to part company and with our approval, why not? They might become tomorrow's Singapore, who knows. I have throughout this piece referred to Sabah and Sarawak as countries by way of emphasising their distinctive character. They are not to be treated as Malay states.
We hope it will not come to this, but we ignore their cries in the wilderness at our peril. Let it not be said that it is a case of too little, too late. (By TUNKU ABDUL AZIZ/MySinchew)
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