Sarawak mahu kestabilan untuk semua, bukan hanya Melayu, kata Abdul Karim

Sarawak desires stability for all its citizens, not just Malays, stated Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the Chief Spokesperson of the Pakatan Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) party. According to Hamzah, the people of Sarawak and Sabah feel uneasy with developments in the peninsula, particularly as various ethnicities and religions seem to exert influence over the nation's political trajectory.

He pointed out that most parties in the peninsula and Borneo were established based on ethnicity or religion during the 1950s and 1960s. Abdul Karim highlighted that today's leaders must consider relevant criteria when determining who should lead Malaysia. He emphasized that after over 60 years of Merdeka, the focus should not be overly placed on ethnicity.

"Political stability should not be defined solely based on Malaysian Malay political unity," he said. Hamzah added that he wants to see stability and unity not only among the Malay parties in Malaya but also among parties representing other ethnicities and religious groups. This comment follows remarks by Umno Deputy President Khaled Nordin during a party congress, suggesting that the division of Malays can undermine the confidence of Sabah and Sarawak leaders in leadership from Malaysia Barat.

Khaled argued that leaders in East Malaysia are not only focused on the concerns of fellow Malaysians but also question whether the people of Malaysia Barat are rightfully granted trust to lead the country. Abdul Karim stressed that political instability in the peninsula would weaken the entire nation, including Sabah and Sarawak.

"An unstable peninsula will lead to an unstable Malaysia, and this will also undermine the future development of Sabah and Sarawak, especially our relationship with foreign nations," he said. He urged leaders in the peninsula to better understand the concerns of Sabah and Sarawak, reminding them that the East Malaysian states are equal partners within Malaysia.

Hamzah acknowledged that with a relatively small number of parliamentary seats, the Sarawak-based Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) does not have the capacity to determine who should lead the nation independently. However, he maintained that GPS remains a loyal ally for parties in the peninsula seeking support to form the federal government.

"GPS is very united, and this unity may be the reason why parties in Malaya that desire to break apart might seek to draw us in to add their support for forming the federal government. We will act as 'stabilizers' in determining who should lead Malaysia," he concluded.