The seminar highlighted and discussed some results of a survey conducted by Merdeka Center for Opinion Research for ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute on respondents from the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.
Wednesday, 8 February 2017: Mr Ibrahim Suffian, Co-founder and Programs Director of Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, a leading public opinion polling and political surveys organization in Malaysia, delivered a presentation titled ‘Sabah and Sarawak: Perspectives on Federal-State Relationship, Identity and Current Issues’.
Mr Ibrahim Suffian delivering his presentation during the seminar.
The presentation highlighted and discussed some results of a survey conducted by Merdeka Center for Opinion Research for ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute on respondents from the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. He observed that the relative weakness of the federal government at Putrajaya has emboldened East Malaysian leaders to push towards the devolution of power in their favour. Nevertheless, while a majority of respondents from both states support more state autonomy, they also acknowledged that they were better off being a part of Malaysia.
When asked about the question of self-identity, a significant majority of respondents from Sabah and Sarawak identified themselves as Sabahan or Sarawakian first. Also, a majority of East Malaysians maintained that inter-ethnic relations are good and even better than five years ago. The majority of non-Muslim East Malaysians do not support hudud law while the Muslim bumiputras were split in their support for hudud.