PENAMPANG, Jan 29: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) and Homeland Solidarity Party (STAR) have joined forces by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form the United Borneo Alliance (UBA).
PBDSB president Cobbold John Lusoi together with STAR president Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan said the main agenda for the MOU is to uphold the Borneo Agenda.
With the formation of UBA, both parties believe that the strategic alliance will provide the Dayak people in Borneo the platform to highlight their issues to the world and ensure the government of Malaysia and Indonesia, both signatories to the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People (UNDRIP), adhere to the resolutions.
In a press statement today, Jeffrey, who is also Bingkor assemblyman, said they are demanding for 100 per cent of Sabah’s oil and gas revenue to be returned to the state, the formation of seven states in Sabah, land reform issues, reclamation of 40 per cent national revenue, the re-distribution of the 40 per cent revenue to the peoples of Sabah.
“On top of that, we are also demanding for the issuance of Sabah Identity Card for Sabahans, power for Gen Y including job opportunities, rural road and water reformation/development and also digital economy for Sabah,” Jeffrey said.
Speaking at the launching of “The Revolutionary Change” in Penampang, he added that The Borneo Agenda is ideal for Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan.
Cobbold also remarked that Sabah and Sarawak must have the same agenda.
“Sarawak shall also demand for the return of 100 per cent of her oil and gas (revenue), form 13 states in Sarawak, conduct land reforms, reclamation of the same 40 per cent revenue for distribution to the peoples of Sarawak, the issuance of Sarawak Identity Card for Sarawakians, power for Gen Y including job opportunities, rural road and water reformation/development and also a digital economy for Sarawak,” he said.
Cobbold also slammed the Sarawak state government for abuse of power in barring and blacklisting Jeffrey from entering Sarawak since March 11 last year.
“He is a Dayak leader in Sabah. He was supposed to attend the Dayak Forum but was deported back to Sabah. This incident has humiliated our fellow Dayaks in Sarawak. Therefore, we strongly urge the Sarawak state government to respect our fellow Dayak neighbour and brother who came to visit Sarawak legally.
“We demand that the Sarawak state government immediately lift the ban on Jeffrey’s entry into Sarawak”, Cobbold said.
Cobbold added that the indigenous people in Sarawak are like in Sabah,who are not too keen on the term “Dayak” because they prefer to identify themselves based on their respective tribal names. — DayakDaily
