(A Sabahan’s response to KC Chen’s statement in the Daily Express, 29 October 2025)
Wednesday, 29 October 2025
In the Daily Express dated 29 October 2025, Warisan Supreme Council member KC Chen accused the Federal Government of deliberately weakening Sabah over the past four decades — keeping the state poor, dependent, and divided.
While many of us agree that Sabah has long been shortchanged by Putrajaya, we cannot ignore the selective memory in KC Chen’s statement.
He speaks as if Warisan is the first to discover Sabah’s mistreatment — when in fact, their own president, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, was part of that same system for more than 20 years.
For two decades, Shafie held high-ranking positions in the Federal Government, including as a full minister. Those were the very years when our 40% revenue entitlement was ignored, when our natural resources were taken without fair return, and when our rights under the Malaysia Agreement were slowly eroded.
Yet throughout that time, he said nothing.
Not a single call for Sabah’s autonomy.
Not a single protest against the exploitation of our oil and gas.
It was only after losing power that Shafie suddenly found his voice — and began championing “Sabah’s rights.”
So the question must be asked:
Had he remained in his cushy federal post, would he still have spoken out?
Or would he have continued turning a blind eye while Sabah was being bled dry?
Yes, KC Chen is right about one thing: Sabah needs a brave leader — one who dares to speak truth even when it is unpopular, even when it costs him everything. And that leader is Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Dr Jeffrey didn’t discover Sabah’s rights after losing office; he has been fighting for them all his life.
He was advocating for Sabah’s autonomy long before it became fashionable — and long before others saw political advantage in doing so.
He did it when nobody listened, when he was ridiculed, and when it brought him personal hardship.
That is the mark of conviction and courage.
If Warisan truly believes in the cause they now preach, they should put aside pride and join hands with Dr Jeffrey and STAR.
This fight is bigger than party lines — it’s about restoring Sabah’s dignity and securing our future.
We need not be divided by ego or old political grudges. Let’s stand together as one Sabah bloc — united, determined, and unafraid — to claim what is rightfully ours.
Sabah’s struggle for justice didn’t begin yesterday, and it won’t end with slogans.
It continues through the consistent, unbroken fight of leaders who never wavered — those like Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who have carried Sabah’s cause from day one.
#JusticeForSabah #SabahForSabahan #GerakanBersatuSabah
Jeffrey Kitingan, who have carried Sabah’s cause from day one.
