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Daily Express
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Policy document wraps up session
Published on: Monday, June 23, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jun 23, 2025 By: Jonathan Nicholas Text Size: Zainie (centre) with Lim on his left and participants consisting of lawyers, local leaders and activists. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's civil society platform, Sabar (Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights) wrapped up town hall sessions under the 'Sabah Voices to Action' series with the message that the future lies in empowering youth and demanding accountability from politicians. It was the final of their eight engagements across Sabah which saw over 300 participants converge at Wisma Wanita, Sunday. Sabar Chairman Datuk Zainie Abdul Aucasa expressed pride in presenting a document of aspirations and actions derived from four months of listening to the people. He said the policy document will be submitted to all parties contesting the coming state election, in the expectation that the proposals would be adopted in their manifestos and more importantly, implemented after the polls. 'We don't want to see a repeat of past promises that were abandoned after elections. This initiative is about building a new political culture that instills responsibility and follows through,' he said. Looking ahead, Zainie revealed that Sabar would shift focus toward engaging young Sabahans in the next phase of their work. Advertisement 'We want to walk with the youth, shape their political mindset, and help them understand the importance of choosing leaders who keep their word. 'They must know how to pick representatives who genuinely deliver on their promises. That's how we build a better Sabah, one election at a time,' he said. He hoped the manifesto guide crafted from these town hall sessions would serve not just this election cycle, but for many to come. SAPP Women's Youth Wing Chief, Yvonne Yong Yit Phung, hailed the initiative as a much-needed departure from the typical political echo chamber, calling for more youth to step forward and help shape Sabah's future. Yvonne praised the organisers for encouraging proactive dialogue and engaging youth in meaningful policy discussions. 'The way questions were framed, how discussions were guided, it was very professional. It showed how much the youth care, and how much potential they have if given the platform,' she said. Vice President of Borneo History, Sahar Piasin, 65, welcomed the shift in focus at the final town hall, noting a refreshing change from previous events. 'Unlike before, which mostly centred around MA63, this time the emphasis was more on youth development through education, rural empowerment, and infrastructure. That made it very interesting,' he said. Sahar noted that speakers appeared to deliberately target students and young people, which, in turn, deserves the attention of Sabahan parents. 'They weren't just asking for opportunities, they were being spoken to directly about the future of their children. That made a real impact,' he added. Borneo History was invited to host an exhibition at the event, showcasing historical documents and treaties, some of which were made available for sale. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia


Borneo Post
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Sabar granted leave to submit British documents in challenge against Territorial Sea Act
KOTA KINABALU (May 9): Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (Sabar) obtained leave at a High Court here to produce 500 pages of documents from the British archives in its Originating Summons (OS) to challenge the Territorial Sea Act (TSA) 2012. The said documents to be adduced are from the British archives on the colonial office correspondence leading up to and after the North Borneo Order in Council (Alteration of Boundaries) 1954 and North Borneo Order in Council (Definition of Boundaries) 1958. Justice Alexander Siew How Wai who granted Sabar's (the plaintiff's) application on Friday, also fixed October 3 for further mention of case. The sole defendant in this OS is the government of the Federation of Malaysia, had agreed and raised no objection to Sabar's application. The plaintiff's OS is seeking from court a declaration that the Continental Shelf Act 1966 and Petroleum Mining Act 1966 is inapplicable, unconstitutional, invalid, null and void in the territory of Sabah after June 19, 2012; The plaintiff further sought from court a declaration that the territory of Sabah, after the annulment of the Proclamation of Emergency of 1969 on June 19, 2012, includes the continental shelf under the North Borneo (Alteration of Boundaries) Order in Council 1954. Apart from that, they also sought from court declarations that the Mining Ordinance 1960 is valid in Sabah after June 19, 2012; They also sought a declaration that Section 3(3) Territorial Seas Act 2012 which limits the territorial waters of Sabah to three nautical miles is inapplicable, unconstitutional, invalid, null and void in Sabah as of June 22, 2012; Finally, a declaration that the territorial waters of Sabah, after the annulment of the Proclamation of Emergency of 1969 on June 19, 2012, includes the 12 nautical miles of sea under the Convention on Territorial Seas and Contiguous Zone 1958 and North Borneo (Definition Of Boundaries) Order In Council 1958; cost and any further or other relief deems fit. In September 2023, Sabar had filed the OS questioning the validity of the TSA 2012, which limits the State's maritime boundary to only three nautical miles. Counsel Roland Cheng represented the plaintiff while Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan and Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Arwi acted for the defendant.