Sabahan by Name but Subservient to Malaya

According to majority of Sabahans, these flags are Malayan parties and led and controlled by Malayans, they don't qualify to be called Sabah parties. At best their extension in Sabah is an extension of Malayan hegemony in Sabah.

By Datu Jomari Palawan-Tan, 24-6-2025

SANDAKAN : I take note of the recent statement by Datuk Jamal Nerubi, the Papar UMNO's Division Head, who is also one of DPM Datuk Zahid Hamidi's political secretaries, who claimed that all UMNO division leaders in Sabah are “locals” and that this proves UMNO Sabah is managed independently of Peninsula influence. While the claim may be technically accurate in terms of identity, it is profoundly misleading in terms of political reality.

The real issue is not where UMNO Sabah leaders were born — it is where decisions are made and whose interests are prioritised.

UMNO Sabah remains structurally subordinate to the party's central leadership in Kuala Lumpur. From 1994 to 2018, UMNO governed Sabah with full control — and the record speaks for itself:

Widespread poverty that saw Sabah ranked as the poorest state in Malaysia.

Rampant corruption, with numerous scandals linked to UMNO-linked leaders and cronies.

Systemic misgovernance, including the surrender of Sabah’s rights over oil, revenue, and immigration.

Silence and complicity in the face of Project IC and the demographic manipulation that weakened native political representation.

For 24 years, UMNO Sabah demonstrated not leadership, but obedience — taking orders from Kuala Lumpur while neglecting the aspirations and autonomy of the people of Sabah. That is the true legacy of UMNO in this state.

To suggest that simply having “local” leaders in place today means Sabahans are in charge is to insult the intelligence of the rakyat. These so-called local leaders have repeatedly failed to assert Sabah’s rightful demands — whether on MA63, the 40% revenue entitlement, or our rights over natural resources.

This is not about “regional sentiment.” This is about political dignity and structural independence. Sabahans are no longer content with proxy politics, tokenism, and empty slogans. We demand leaders who are not afraid to stand with Sabah — not under Putrajaya.

Sabah deserves a new generation of leadership — one that has the courage to reject subservience, confront injustice, and chart a future rooted in integrity, autonomy, and self-determination.#~Borneo Herald™