DECEMBER 19 — Julia Chan is Senior State Correspondent, Malay Mail (MM). According to LinkedIn, she works independently but reports to MM’s head office in Kuala Lumpur, covering a wide range of newsworthy topics including politics, human interest, general news, food reviews, court and crime stories.

More than nine years ago in October 2015, she wrote from Kota Kinabalu:

"Call it what you will — autonomy, empowerment, self-determination, Sabah rights, devolution, or decentralisation — but a subject that was laughed off and dismissed as ludicrous a few years ago is now the business of every politician, activist and man on streets of Sabah and Sarawak.

"In fact, the call for greater autonomy in respect of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement memorandums signed between Malaya and the Bornean states — the 18-point (Sarawak) and 20-point (North Borneo or Sabah) agreements — has even in recent months led to budding movements campaigning for the two states’ secession from Malaysia if Putrajaya does not heed their requests.”

Accompanying Julia Chan’s piece was a picture/photo featuring then Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman (right), Sabah deputy chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan (centre), and deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Raymond Tan Shu Kiah.

Sabah’s Yang di-Pertua Negeri then was, and still is until December 31, Tun Juhar bin Mahiruddin, who is the longest serving Yang di-Pertua Negeri.

Tun Juhar is being replaced by that man in green, Musa Aman, who was presented with the instrument of appointment by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim in a ceremony at Balairung Kecil, Istana Negara on Tuesday (Dec 17).

Musa, 73, was appointed the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah by Article 1 of the Sabah Constitution for four years, effective January 1, 2025 until December 31, 2028.

Article 1(1) of the Sabah Constitution states as follows:

"There shall be a Head of State for Sabah, to be called the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, who shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong acting in his discretion but after consultation with the Chief Minister.”

"Call it what you want, yeah, call it what you want”, sings Taylor Swift in her song "Call it what you want”.

Yeah, call it what you want on the appointment of Musa Aman as Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sabah.

Or call it what you will, as Julia Chan wrote, but isn’t it the autonomy of the State of Sabah?

What has it got to do with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim?

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.