TAWAU: The ‘Borneo Agenda’ is perceived to be the most powerful weapon for the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the upcoming 17th State Election (PRN-17), particularly in safeguarding Sabah’s rights and interests on the federal stage.
Sabah political analyst Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto stated that the ‘Borneo Agenda’ is not merely an empty slogan but encompasses the struggle to restore the state’s autonomy as outlined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This Borneo Agenda is not a new concept, yet it remains relevant today. The people of Sabah still want issues such as oil royalties, natural resource management, immigration control, and state administrative powers to be fought for uncompromisingly,” he mentioned in a recent social media post.
He added that GRS, which is currently composed of local Sabah parties, is seen to have strong political ‘capital’ to make the Borneo Agenda the main theme of their campaign.
“GRS’s previous record shows that several aspects of MA63 have been renegotiated with the Federal Government, although not entirely fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Sabah.
‘The main challenge for GRS now is to prove to the people that the Borneo Agenda is not just bait ahead of the elections,’ he said.
Zaki noted that public perception will determine whether the Borneo Agenda is still trusted or has become mere rhetoric.
‘The people of Sabah today are more discerning. If GRS fails to fulfil promises regarding state rights, then other local parties like Warisan will attempt to leverage the sentiment of ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ to gain support.
“Therefore, GRS must present a clear action plan, not just promises to demand but also concrete negotiation results,” he stated.
At the same time, he sees the Borneo Agenda as a potential decisive factor in rural areas that still demand development on par with the Peninsular.
