May 9, 2018 is the third time in Sabah history to return power to the people after 1976 and 1985

May 9, 2018 is the third time in Sabah history to return power to the people 1976 and 1985, when Sabahans “tukar baju”.

Historian Lord Acton has rightly said the “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely”, and this is best illustrated by the 55-year history of Sabah since the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

In the last five decades, we see the double abuse of power – firstly by the Federal Government which trampled on the rights of Sabahans in utter disregard of the rights of the people of Sabah as agreed under the Malaysia Agreement 1963; and secondly, the abuses by the Sabah State Government itself, even those which started off carrying the great hopes and aspirations of Sabahans for change and reforms which prompted the two great electoral results in Sabah in 1976 and 1985.

Now we are on the cusp of a third great electoral change in Sabah, for Sabahans had been treated badly by both the Federal and State Governments of Barisan Nasional in the past decades.

The Barisan Nasional manifesto for the 14th General Election pledged to implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963 proposals based on consensus achieved in Barisan Nasional.

This is a most fraudulent manifesto.

What has consensus got to do with implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963?

The consensus on the Malaysian Agreement 1963 proposals was achieved 55 years ago when Malaysia was formed in 1963.

To subject the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 proposals to a new consensus achieved in Barisan Nasional would mean that any small BN party could raise an objection and there would be no consensus to implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963 proposals – which is most objectionable and highly deplorable.

If Pakatan Harapan wins the 14GE and forms the new Federal Government, we will implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963 without hesitation or compromise as the question of a consensus does not arise.