00:01Independence is not the issue being pursued, says former Sabah Chief Minister Saleh Saeed Kerua.
00:08He panned political veteran Tengku Razali Hamzah for describing many in East Malaysia as confusing autonomy with independence.
00:16Saleh said Tengku Razali's remarks did not reflect the reality in Sabah,
00:21and that Sabahans understood that the Bornean state is a member of the Federation of Malaysia as per the constitution.
00:30The Sabah UMNO Treasurer told FMT that what is being raised is autonomy as envisaged under the Malaysia Agreement 1963,
00:39rights within the Federation, including authority over administration, immigration, revenue and development priorities.
00:48Saleh said the core issue for Sabahans was that the state's rights and safeguards agreed on in MA63
00:54had not been fully or consistently fulfilled by the federal government.
00:59In a recent interview with FMT, Tengku Razali said Sabah and Sarawak must operate within the constitutional framework
01:06crafted by Malaysia's founding fathers in 1963, amid rising tensions over federal authority and state rights.
01:14The former finance minister said many in East Malaysia appeared to confuse autonomy with independence,
01:21and that the autonomy they sought was already provided for in the constitution.
01:26Panyu Jo, FMT.
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