Only Warisan Can Deliver Political Independence for Sabah

By Daniel John Jambun, 13-7-2025

AS the next Sabah state election looms closer, it has become increasingly clear that Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is entering the race not with strength — but with scandal, subservience, and strategic paralysis. 

Once branding itself as a Sabah-centric coalition, GRS is now exposed for what it truly is: a political vessel that cannot stand on its own feet and must bow to Malaya-based coalitions like Pakatan Harapan (PH) simply to survive.

From the deepening minerals corruption scandal that has tainted its top leadership, to its growing dependence on Kuala Lumpur for political direction, GRS today offers Sabahans neither moral authority nor strategic clarity. The coalition that once promised “local autonomy” is now caught in a defensive posture, reacting to crisis after crisis — with no clear vision for the future.

Against this backdrop, there is only one political movement that has consistently championed the cause of Sabah’s political independence, not just in rhetoric, but in structure, leadership, and policy — and that is Warisan.

GRS: Sabah Autonomy in Name, Subservience in Practice

GRS leaders often speak of Sabah rights, but their actions tell a different story:

They remain dependent on federal allies to hold power — with no ability to go into an election independently;

They have outsourced key decisions, including seat negotiations, to party leaderships in Putrajaya;

Their silence on structural reforms — including MA63 enforcement, oil royalties, and territorial integrity — has been deafening.

Even when scandals such as the Sabah minerals controversy break out, the leadership response is not rooted in transparency or accountability. Instead, it is to play victim, shift blame, and protect the status quo.

If GRS cannot even defend Sabah’s natural resources from cronies within its own ranks, how can it claim to defend Sabah’s autonomy from external interference?

Warisan: A Sabah-Based, People-Centered Movement

Unlike GRS, Warisan is not tethered to political masters in KL. It is headquartered in Sabah, led by Sabahans, and built on a multiracial, inclusive platform that prioritizes Sabah’s dignity, prosperity, and sovereignty.

Only Warisan has:

Rejected coalition politics based on racial power-sharing deals with Peninsula-based parties;

Consistently pushed for full implementation of MA63, including 40% revenue return, control over education and health, and restoration of territorial rights;

Resisted efforts to turn Sabah into a political colony of Malayan elites and economic rent-seekers.

Warisan does not beg for seats from PH or BN. Warisan does not hand over Sabah’s future in exchange for short-term political deals. Warisan builds from within — with the people, for the people.

Only Warisan Has the Credibility to Form the Borneo Bloc with GPS

Today, there is growing public support for a Borneo Bloc — a powerful, united voice from Sabah and Sarawak to restore balance within the federation of Malaysia.

But let’s be clear: not every Sabah party has the credibility to stand alongside Sarawak’s GPS.

GRS has made itself a junior partner of Pakatan Harapan, willingly subordinating Sabah’s interests to the whims of KL-based politics.

Its internal instability, scandals, and inability to speak with a unified Bornean voice disqualify it from forming any meaningful regional alliance.

Only Warisan has the political dignity, independence, and clean governance track record to forge a credible partnership with GPS. Both share the same vision:

Genuine autonomy for Borneo states;

Full implementation of MA63;

A recalibrated federalism where Sabah and Sarawak are partners — not provinces.

A Warisan-GPS axis would not only be historic — it would reshape national politics and restore the spirit of 1963.

Political Independence Is Not a Slogan — It’s a Structure

Political independence means:

That Sabah’s political future is decided by Sabahans, not dictated from Kuala Lumpur;

That state elections are contested by parties rooted in Sabah, not branches of Peninsula coalitions;

That Sabah has the freedom to negotiate with the Federal Government as an equal partner, not as a junior coalition member scrambling for ministerial scraps.

Only Warisan is structured — and principled — enough to realise this vision.

The Time for Clarity Has Come

As we move toward the next state election, Sabahans must ask a simple but powerful question:

> Do we want to remain governed by those beholden to Putrajaya, tainted by scandal and paralysed by compromise?

Or do we want a government that puts Sabah first, speaks for Sabah, and stands with Sabahans — without fear, without apology?

That choice is now clear. GRS cannot walk alone. Warisan never needed to — but it can now walk together with GPS, as equals.

In the fight for political independence and Borneo dignity, only Warisan has the clarity, credibility, and courage to lead.

Daniel John Jambun is President of

Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)

&

Change Advocate Movement Sabah (CAMOS).#~Borneo Herald™