Kota Kinabalu: Sarawak activist Datuk Seri Peter John Jaban has hit back at former Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim over comments made on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the proposed Borneo Bloc, calling the latter’s remarks insulting, reckless and dangerous.
“As a Sarawakian who has witnessed our people’s struggles firsthand, I find Zaid Ibrahim’s statement offensive and dangerously misleading,” Peter said in a statement, here, Wednesday.
Peter was responding to a Facebook post by Zaid published on Monday, pointing out that it was arrogant, condescending, and offensive for the former minister to characterise Sabah and Sarawak’s pursuit of their constitutional rights as a bid to outwit Malaya.
“Sabah and Sarawak are not a burden on Malaysia. We are equal partners, bound by the MA63, with rights and autonomy that must be respected,” said Peter, who is also known as Sarawak’s cultural icon.
In his post, Zaid had said that Sabah and Sarawak already hold considerable leverage at the Federal level, pointing to immigration autonomy, disputes over the Petroleum Development Act and Petronas, the states’ 40 per cent revenue demand, and other unresolved MA63 matters as evidence that the Borneo states had historically secured strong safeguards during Malaysia’s formation in 1963.
Zaid also claimed that the push for more parliamentary seats under a proposed Borneo Bloc would further amplify the two states’ Federal influence and suggested Malayan leaders were more preoccupied with competing for the prime minister’s post.
Peter dismissed this framing entirely, saying Sabah and Sarawak did not outwit anyone when Malaysia was formed.
“We formed Malaysia as equal partners, with safeguards to protect our autonomy, identity, and resources. Raising these issues today is not hostility … it is asserting our rights under the law and the promises that built this nation,” he said.
Peter said such remarks by Zaid reinforced a long-standing perception that certain West Malaysian elites continue to view East Malaysian concerns with disdain.
“Malaysia deserves mature and fact-based discourse, not provocative soundbites. National unity cannot be built on sarcasm or mockery. It must be grounded in respect, constitutional integrity, and recognition of historical commitments,” Peter said.
Additionally, Peter pushed for greater solidarity between Sabah and Sarawak, pointing out that political parties rooted in Peninsular Malaysia would inevitably prioritise Malayan interests above those of the Borneo states.
“That reality makes it even more important for Sabah and Sarawak to stand united through a Borneo Bloc, speaking with a single, firm voice to defend our rights, shape our own future, and ensure our destiny is not determined by those who see our constitutional safeguards as a threat rather than a guarantee,” he said.
He urged Sarawak leaders, particularly those within the Gabungan Parti Sarawak coalition, to reject what he called Malayan narratives and to champion what he described as a Bornean awakening grounded in equality, dignity, and self-determination within Malaysia.
Peter said that genuine national unity could only be achieved if political leaders first acknowledged and respected the rights of Sabah and Sarawak under MA63.
“If political leaders are sincere about national unity, they must begin by respecting the rights of Sabah and Sarawak. Anything less is a betrayal,” he said.
