KOTA KINABALU: Sabah and Sarawak deserve a chance at holding the nation’s number one position in government, and not just being at number two, says Parti Warisan.
Its information chief Datuk Azis Jamman said by offering 'candies' and promises of a deputy prime minister’s post, does it mean that Sabah and Sarawak leaders did not deserve to hold the Prime Minister’s position?
"What does the equal partner status among Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsula Malaysia actually mean if the number one post can only be held by a Peninsula Malaysian?," he asked in a statement, Monday (Oct 24).
He said other political parties should stop offering candies but start fulfilling Sabah rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Azis said instead of continuing to give 'candies' such as offering a Deputy Prime Minister’s post for Sabah, whoever was in government should start implementing the MA63 immediately.
"Sabahans do not want the DPM’s post. Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had been offered the position when Perikatan Nasional was in power, when the prime minister was Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin," he said.
"But we declined the offer. What Sabahans really want immediately is for the MA63 to be fulfilled without delay, without any more committees and roundtable discussions or excuses," he said.
Azis said 'reasons' such as having to wait for the government’s economy and politics to stabilise first before the MA63 can be implemented, was also irrational.
"The financial crisis faced by the Federal Government will not improve as long as corruption, power abuse and the kleptocrats prevail," he said.
He said as states of equal status to the Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak deserve more than just a promise of the deputy prime minister’s post.
"We are equal partners to peninsula Malaysia and why can’t we have the number one post in the country?," Azis asked.
