KOTA KINABALU: Sabah STAR fully supports Sarawak’s position on the rights of Borneo states over their land, seabed, subsoil, and continental shelf, describing these as fundamental to the formation of Malaysia, says party president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
“These rights were the conditions upon which Sabah agreed to form Malaysia. They were neither gifts from the Federal Government nor temporary concessions. They are permanent, constitutional entitlements that no Act of Parliament can unilaterally erase,” he said.
Jeffrey said Sabah’s stance is grounded in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report, and the Federal Constitution, all of which recognise Sabah as a partner with absolute ownership over its territory.
“These rights existed prior to Malaysia Day. There has never been a public referendum or a State Legislative Assembly resolution consenting to their surrender,” he said on Tuesday (Dec 30).
He noted that before the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) 1974, Sabah exercised full authority over its oil and gas resources, entering into agreements directly with international companies for exploration and extraction.
“We set the royalties at 12.5%. We did not ask for Federal permission because we were, and by right, still are, the owners pursuant to Section 24 of the Sabah Land Ordinance and the State List in the Federal Constitution,” he said.
He stressed that a federal statute cannot override constitutional protections of state land, citing Article 2 of the Federal Constitution which states that state boundaries cannot be altered without the consent of the State Legislative Assembly and the Conference of Rulers.
Jeffrey added that the legality of the PDA remains disputed as the state did not give its consent.
“Sabah and Sarawak share a common destiny. We are the Borneo Bloc. When Sarawak speaks on these matters, Sabah must do more than nod. We must stand shoulder to shoulder. Coordination between our states is not a provocation but a duty to our people and a necessary check on federal overreach,” he said.
