Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh said the handover of Labuan to Federal in 1984 was at the personal request of then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad – the first time he has said openly what many suspected to have been the case.
He agreed, in principle, when Dr Mahathir who after holding the first Barisan Supreme Council meeting outside Kuala Lumpur congratulated him (Harris) for agreeing to host the event on the island and floated the idea.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister Datuk James Ongkili, among others. There was no referendum for the veiws of Sabahans or those in Labuan.
Harris, 96, previously apologised to Sabahans over the decision that resulted in his nine-year-old Berjaya administration being punished by voters.
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