00:00Sabah's close ties with Putrajaya are seen as a strategic necessity for the state's
00:05development priorities, according to analysts.
00:08University of Malaysia Sabah's Bilchabala said the 2021 Commercial Collaboration Agreement
00:13with Petronas was possible only because of a strong federal-state relationship,
00:18while also stressing that cooperation allows negotiations on Sabah's rights
00:22under the Malaysia Agreement 1963. He warned that without constructive ties,
00:27Sabah risks being sidelined in the distribution of resources and policies.
00:32Meanwhile, University of Malaya's Awang Azman Pawi said Sabah remains dependent on federal
00:38allocations and approvals, citing the party Bersatu Sabah era in 1985, when poor ties with the federal
00:44government led to defections and the resignation of Chief Minister Joseph Paiwin Kitingan.
00:49He said any party forming the next Sabah government must work closely with Paketan Harpan and UMNO,
00:54given their federal influence. On August 12th, Chief Minister Hajiji Noor said,
00:59Gabungan Rakyat Sabah's alliance with PH was vital to the state's development,
01:03adding that electoral victory without stability would be meaningless.
01:07Bilcher said federal-state synergy under Hajiji's administration has delivered tangible results,
01:12but added that Warisan may temper its critiques of federal policies,
01:16while Awang Azman suggested that parties contesting alone could adopt a more aggressive
01:20campaign to distinguish themselves politically.
Comments