KOTA KINABALU – The results of the Sarawak polls indicated that calls for independence or secession in East Malaysia have yet to gain solid support among the grassroots, said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
Lim – who is also Iskandar Puteri MP – said although the call for secession may be tempting to East Malaysians in terms of resolving the Borneo states’ rights, the Sarawak election showed that it has not garnered real support from the grassroots.
“For instance, Parti Bumi Kenyalang lost in all the 64 seats it contested, while Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak lost in all its 12 seats.
“This is something for Malaysians in Sabah and Sarawak to think about,” he told a press conference today.
Lim was in Sabah to join in on the early Christmas celebrations in Keningau and Pensiangan.
He noted that there are those in Sabah and Sarawak calling for independence due to alleged violations by the federal government on the Borneo states’ rights.
Lim said Parliament undid the injustices on Sabah and Sarawak, following the passing of the constitutional amendments on December 14.
Sabah and Sarawak were downgraded to mere states in the Federation of Malaysia via a 1976 constitutional amendment in Parliament.
“The (passing of the) constitutional amendments on December 14 is only the first step to restore the states’ rights.
“Now, it is up to the assemblies of Sabah and Sarawak to work on restoring all the state rights that were lost,” he said.
While congratulating Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg for Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s landslide victory in the state polls, Lim said Sarawak DAP could have secured over half a dozen seats – if not for the lower voter turnout.
“DAP could have won five more seats – Pujut in Miri; Bukit Assek and Pelawan in Sibu; Tg Datu in Bintulu; and Kota Sentosa in Kuching.
“We lost Tg Datu by 23 votes, Pelawan by 100 votes, and Bukit Assek by 843 votes,” he said.
DAP won only two seats in the election.
Lim said there was a 71.7% voter turnout during the 14th general election, compared to yesterday’s polls that only saw a 60% turnout – adding that this could have been due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said if not for these two factors, as well as the unfair restrictions by the Election Commission to disallow physical campaigning and ceramah, DAP could have fared better. – The Vibes, December 19, 2021
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