KUCHING: Any ill feeling between East and West Malaysians must be unwind in the struggle for nation-building.
At the same time, efforts should also be taken to ensure just development for all, says former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
“You have to unwind. That’s why I think the wind from the East could be how we mould those policies to ensure how a multiracial society can be realised in Malaysia, an example to the world of how not to be divisive.”
He said when responding to a question from Eddin Khoo of The Vibes who asked: “This sense of marginalisation was getting pervasive, and I am not even referring to secessionist sentiment, which does exist. How do we begin to bridge the alienation between East and West”?
Shafie felt that under the current regime, things were very divisive.
“Should you listen to the speeches made by the late Tunku (Abdul Rahman), they were very inspiring.
“He (Tunku) was able to bring the people together, and create a bond between them and that’s how we managed to realise the formation of Malaysia, despite being divided by the South China Sea, and despite differences in culture and religious beliefs.
“That generation went beyond the barriers. Tunku was a man of personal piety, but in the evening, he also knew how to ronggeng… Why, then, should we now have extreme practices?”
Asked on his thought upon the prospect of an East Malaysia prime ministerial candidate given the greater participation of non-civilian forces in Malaysian politics now, Shafie said it was not impossible.
“I had attempted that when I contested for vice-president of Umno and won with a big majority, even though it was very tough. A kampung boy coming from the small town of Semporna, hardly known, and contesting against the sons of former prime ministers — Hishammuddin (Hussein), Mukhriz (Mahathir) — and heavyweights like Isa (Abdul Samad).
“Yet we were able to do that. It is not impossible.”
Shafie said “there is a window” but hard work was required to ensure the people accept and trust us.
“I have to clearly spell out what I stand for. There is a need for my voice to be heard, but more importantly, for the people to know what the content of my vision and my policies are. That is very important; there are many challenges but we must have the will. In politics, never give up.”
On Warisan’s position pertaining to Ismail Sabri’s offer of parliamentary reforms, he said he agreed to it but would wait to see what it meant because he was not privy to what they were discussing.
“Let’s take the anti-hopping law as an example. What has been actually identified as part and parcel of those reforms? First, there is the need to amend the constitution – Article 10.
“What, then, is the content of the anti-hopping law? Is it that if an individual jumps from one party to another, there will be a by-election?
“Or will there be a proper solution to the problem — a suspension for two terms, perhaps, or an even heavier penalty — that the individual be barred from politics for life? he asked.
“In life we don’t want to be punitive, but I think if you want to deter people from jumping from one party to another and setting a bad example, you should impose a heavy penalty.”
On another matter, Shafie said Sarawak was very fortunate that it did not have many parties from the peninsula and was therefore virtually governed by a local party.
Sabah was very divided not just with the ruling government but in the opposition too, he said.
According to Shafie, there was also a visible division among the people in Sabah as compared to Sarawak.
“Sarawak is more solid in terms of how it is united — it has a large bloc there, and it can decide consensually, whereas in Sabah there are divisions. It will take a little time but I am quite sure we can unite.
“The people of Sabah want to see a strong leadership that can really unite them. Trust is a major factor.”
