(Kota Kinabalu， 15 May) – Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Supreme Council member cum Vice Youth Chief, lawyer Yong Yit Jee has slammed Sabah’s PH-BN coalition for their silence on oil and gas lawsuits, while Sarawak aggressively challenges federal laws – dismissing UPKO/PBRS’ claims of securing Sabah’s rights as empty rhetoric.
“While Sarawak fights tooth and nail in court, Sabah PH-BN hides behind the excuse of ‘good relations’ as our resources get plundered,” Yong said, detailing how the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA1974) and Territorial Sea Act 2012 (TSA2012) have systematically eroded Sabah and Sarawak’s MA63 rights.
The criticism comes amid Sabah NGO SABAR’s landmark legal challenge against TSA2012 – a case that Sabah State Government through Chief Minister has confirmed that Sabah does not recognise TSA2012. “UPKO and PBRS claim to be bridges to Putrajaya? More like pipelines draining Sabah’s wealth straight to Kuala Lumpur,” Yong fired.
Despite UPKO and PBRS boasting about resolving 13 MA63 issues, Yong retorted: “Sarawak sues while Sabah PH-BN settles for empty smiles at negotiation tables.”
The SAPP leader specifically called out UPKO’s federal minister Ewon Benedick: “No effort to amend PDA1974 in Cabinet. No sign of the 40% revenue formula promised by July 2024. We’re now in May 2025 – where’s the formula? where’s our money?” referencing Ewon’s September 2023 announcement. Yong challenged UPKO and PBRS to prove their commitment by pressuring the federal government to drop its appeal against the Sabah Law Society’s case on Sabah’s 40% revenue rights.
SAPP, with a decades-long record of fighting PDA1974, TSA2012 and for the 40% tax revenue – including opposing the giveaway of oil-rich Blocks L and M to Brunei – now demands Sabah PH-BN declare their true allegiance: “Will they remain federal puppets, or finally stand with Sarawak to reclaim Sabah’s full MA63 rights?”
Yong Yit Jee
SAPP Supreme Council member cum Vice Youth Chief