GRS parties back call for Sabah ‘premier’ title change
PBS vice-president Ruslan Muharam says changing the title of Sabah’s chief minister to ‘premier’ will demonstrate the state’s position as a partner in the formation of Malaysia. (Wikipedia pic)
PETALING JAYA: Several components of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), including Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), have expressed support for the proposal to change the title of Sabah’s chief minister to “premier”.
“I fully endorse this effort to demonstrate Sabah’s position as a ‘partner’ in the formation of Malaysia, consistent with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” Sabah news portal Daily Express reported PBS vice-president Ruslan Muharam as saying.
The Lumadan assemblyman also said this would accurately reflect Sabah’s status as a territory within Malaysia.
“It is understood that this will be tabled at the state legislative assembly sitting in July, along with three other bills,” he said.
Meanwhile, LDP vice-president David Ong said the proposal reflects Sabah’s historical significance, while the title change would testify to the state’s historical and political identity, and preserve and promote its distinctiveness in Malaysia.
“It is not merely a matter of semantics but a crucial step towards affirming Sabah’s rightful place within Malaysia. It also underscores Sabah’s commitment to upholding its rights and pursuing its interests under MA63.
“Moreover, it is in line with international standards observed in Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada and enhances Sabah’s standing on the global stage.
“The term ‘premier’ carries connotations of autonomy and leadership, befitting Sabah’s position as one of three territories and not one of the 13 states in Malaysia,” he said.
On Monday, Tanjong Kapor assemblyman Ben Chong urged the Sabah government to consider the title change, as previously made by Sarawak.
He said he hoped the change could be made alongside two other bills to be tabled in the state legislature in July.
The first would limit the chief minister to two terms in office, while the other would replace the title of “assistant minister” with “deputy minister”.
Sarawak changed its designation of “chief minister” to “premier” on Feb 15, 2022. It also changed the titles of “deputy chief minister” and “assistant minister” to “deputy premier” and “deputy minister” respectively.