Kota Kinabalu, Saturday, 14 December 2024:
The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has officially withdrawn from Perikatan Nasional (PN), a decision made during our Supreme Council meeting on 23 November. PN headquarters was officially informed of this decision last month.
It became clear that PN want to contest in the upcoming Sabah elections, a position that contradicts SAPP’s long-standing stand and policy that all 73 state constituencies should only be contested by local Sabah parties.
This SAPP stand is consistent with MA63 and autonomy for Sabah. We cannot compromise on our commitment to ensuring that the elections for the Sabah Legislative Assembly remain exclusively under the purview of local parties, free from interference by parties based in Malaya.
However, PN’s insistence on fielding candidates from Malaya-based parties in the Sabah elections directly contradicts this fundamental principle.
SAPP propose GRS to contest 73 seats
In fact, one of the key motions we have submitted to the GRS Supreme Council to deliberate is Sabah autonomy, which means GRS should field candidates in all 73 state constituencies.
This is important in upholding Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and reflects the fervent aspirations of Sabahans for a government that embraces true federalism.
With less than 10 months to the upcoming elections, we urge the GRS Supreme Council to urgently resolve any uncertainties surrounding the GRS + PH alignment. These matters must be clarified before the new year to allow Sabahans to make informed decisions about their political future.
As a reminder, regardless of what Sabah DAP or PH leaders may say, the ultimate decision-making power remains with their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. As we can already see, PH and BN have solidified their alliance, irrespective of GRS’s one-way goodwill towards PH.
SAPP remains fully committed to GRS, the only coalition comprising 100% local parties, prioritising Sabah’s autonomy and self-determination.
While Sabah’s political future belongs in the hands of Sabahans, SAPP will continue to fight for this principle and a government that truly represents our Sabah people.
Datuk Yong Teck Lee
President, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP)
Issued by SAPP HQ