By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 10: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) has issued a rebuttal of a report on the Daily Express—a Sabah-based English daily—which the party claimed ‘grossly misrepresented’ the party’s foundational position on Sabah and Sarawak’s political future.
In an Aug 9 report titled ‘Failed Sarawak party hopes for better luck here’, the Daily Express said that PBK, after not being able to win any seats in Sarawak, feels it may perform better in Sabah’s coming election.
It quoted PBK president Voon Lee Shan as saying that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be upheld in full.
It also quoted Voon as saying that the party aims to raise awareness of constitutional rights and the right to self-determination for both Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia.
In a statement, Voon denied these claims by the Daily Express:
- PBK has never advocated for upholding the MA63.
- PBK does not recognise Sabah and Sarawak as ‘equal partners’ in Malaysia.
- PBK rejects the notion that unfulfilled ‘promises’ of MA63 legitimise the federation.
“Since our inception, PBK’s position has been unambiguous: Sabah and Sarawak possess the legal and political right to pursue independence through peaceful, lawful means—a right enshrined in United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 on decolonisation,” said Voon.
He added that the Malaysia Federation was an externally imposed structure, denying Sabahans and Sarawakians their fundamental right to choose their future.
Referring to being labelled as a ‘failed party’, Voon said: “Liberation is a marathon, not a sprint”.
“Independence may not come in our lifetime, but our duty is to persist. We measure success not by when freedom dawns, but by our refusal to abandon the pursuit of justice.
“PBK reaffirms its sole objective: The peaceful, lawful restoration of Sabah and Sarawak’s independence. The party urges media to accurately represent its principles and invites Sabahans and Sarawakians to join this historic movement.” — DayakDaily
