DAP told to withdraw from Sabah, Sarawak

KUCHING: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has been challenged to withdraw the party he leads from Sabah and Sarawak if he is sincere about restoring the rights of both states under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Sarawak Reform Party (Reform) president Lina Soo said Lim should do so if he was concerned about the welfare of Sabah and Sarawak people.

“It has nothing to do with him or his party. He has no authority to grant us autonomy rights. If he is sincere, he should observe the state’s autonomous political rights and get out of Sarawak. Let local parties fight against the Barisan Nasional government.

“DAP’s presence in the elections here will split votes among the opposition. It should stay in the peninsula, and for that, we will support the party.”

She also lambasted Lim’s statement during the party’s conference on Sunday.

Lim used the state’s autonomy rights to gain political mileage, Soo said, and described the party’s “new deal” to offer more autonomy and revenue as lip service.

“No one can offer what is enshrined in the agreement. I don’t think he understands the agreement.”

Soo said Lim’s proposal for a new federalism would mean a new agreement, and all partner signatories — the British, Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore — would have to work on a new agreement.

“Neither DAP nor Penang is a signatory to the agreement. So, who is he to raise the issue?”