Futile bid for 'equal partner' status evokes passion in Sabah, Sarawak

PH fails to get two-thirds Parliament support in vote on 'equal status' for Borneo states

The gold umbrella roof of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building is an iconic landmark in Kuching and located on the north bank of the Sarawak River. PHOTO: BERNAMA Sunset at the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. While the debate over
The gold umbrella roof of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building is an iconic landmark in Kuching and located on the north bank of the Sarawak River. PHOTO: BERNAMA
The gold umbrella roof of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building is an iconic landmark in Kuching and located on the north bank of the Sarawak River. PHOTO: BERNAMA Sunset at the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. While the debate over
Sunset at the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. While the debate over a more-than-half-a-century-old agreement, called the Malaysia Agreement 1963, may seem quaint, Sabahans and Sarawakians are keen to share development funds and petroleum revenues now seen benefiting mostly Peninsular Malaysia. ST PHOTO: EILEEN NG
The gold umbrella roof of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building is an iconic landmark in Kuching and located on the north bank of the Sarawak River. PHOTO: BERNAMA Sunset at the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. While the debate over
DATUK JEFFREY KITINGAN
The gold umbrella roof of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building is an iconic landmark in Kuching and located on the north bank of the Sarawak River. PHOTO: BERNAMA Sunset at the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. While the debate over
DATUK IDRIS BUANG
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Mr Dominik Pedos is bemused by the state of politics in Sarawak these days over the debate surrounding Malaysia's failure to amend its Constitution to make Sabah and Sarawak equal partners in the country's federation.

While the 32-year-old marketing executive from Miri town in Sarawak felt the opposition MPs from his state should have voted for the amendment in Parliament on April 9, he understood the political motivations that drove them to not give their full backing.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 22, 2019, with the headline Futile bid for 'equal partner' status evokes passion in Sabah, Sarawak. Subscribe