Kota Kinabalu: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) said the call for a Borneo Bloc is not about consolidating power, but about strengthening federalism and ensuring Sabah and Sarawak can effectively advocate for their constitutional rights.
Its Deputy President Datuk Kenny Chua stressed that the party’s firm stance serves as a reminder that the voices of the Bornean states are not mere political noise, but a pursuit of the justice and equity promised at the nation’s inception.
Kenny issued the rebuttal to former Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who recently characterised Sabah and Sarawak’s role in the formation of Malaysia as negotiating from a position of “weakness.” He argued that such views dangerously overlook the legal and historic foundation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Sabah did not enter the Federation as a subordinate state or a common colony, but as a sovereign partner in a binding international agreement,” Kenny said.
He also highlighted that if constitutional safeguards were fully respected, the federal government would not be locked in decades-long disputes over oil revenue and territorial waters.
The continued need for discussions on “restoring” rights proves that the original spirit of the federation has been diluted.
“For Sabah, the Borneo Bloc is not a threat to national unity, but a necessary defensive shield in a fragmented political landscape, ensuring that the interests of East Malaysians are never again sidelined by Putrajaya,” he added.
Dismissing accusations that East Malaysian leaders are being “opportunistic,” Kenny said the push for increased parliamentary representation is a matter of survival and democratic fairness.
He maintained that seat distribution must reflect population realities and the foundational intent of 1963.
By demanding a seat at the table that reflects its true status, Sabah is not seeking to weaken Malaysia; it is seeking to save the federation by forcing it to honour its own founding principles.
“The message from the ‘Land Below the Wind’ is clear: the promises of 1963 are not expired debts — they are the current and binding rights of every Sabahan,” Kenny said.