Warisan VP moots Sabah-S’wak ‘manifesto’ to pursue shared interests

Warisan vice-president Junz Wong has suggested that Sabah and Sarawak governments consider a joint manifesto to address their common interests, aiming to strengthen the Borneo bloc. Speaking at a forum titled Unity in Diversity at HELP University, Wong emphasized the need for close cooperation between the two states, stating that they should work together 100%.

He proposed the idea of a cross-border manifesto that advocates for shared goals, not only for Sabah and Sarawak but also for Malaysia as a whole. Wong's comments came in response to a question about Sabah receiving a fair share of the agreements under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in the near future. He acknowledged that such progress would depend on political developments in West Malaysia and Sabah's ability to unite politically and collaborate with Sarawak.

Wong further proposed that cooperation between the two states should extend beyond pursuing their rights under MA63 to include a common economic direction for the next five years. The concept of a Borneo bloc was first introduced in 2010 by Jeffrey Kitingan of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, who formed the United Borneo Front to advocate for Sabah and Sarawak's rights under MA63.

The idea resurfaced following the departure of Sarawak's ruling parties from Barisan Nasional in 2018. Recently, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Federal Constitution would be amended to increase Sabah and Sarawak's representation in Parliament in line with MA63, addressing other outstanding issues such as Sabah's 40% net revenue entitlement and Sarawak's petroleum-related demands.