Sabah chief minister Shafie Apdal reminded Malaysians that all had the important responsibility to bring back the nation and specifically Sabah to a level that one could be proud of.

He said, in the context of the new governments now, whether at the federal or state level, the people and leaders must learn from the mistakes of the past and improve to achieve this lofty goal for the benefit and progress of the people as a whole.

Shafie said that as for Sabah which itself now had a new government, the people had higher hopes to play a bigger role towards economic prosperity, political stability and Malaysia’s well-being.

“To realise all these, Sabah needs more funds or allocations for the state’s development. We are very hopeful that under the new governments, whether at the federal or state level, much more development and progress will be brought in this state.

“The Sabah government will continue to work closely with the federal government to ensure the rights and interests of Malaysian citizens in this state remain protected,” he said in his speech at the national-level Malaysia Day celebration in Padang Merdeka in Kota Kinabalu tonight.

The celebration was also attended by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Juhar Mahiruddin and wife Norlidah RM Jasni, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Sarawak deputy chief minister Douglas Uggah Embas, Communication and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who is also the chairperson of the main organising committee, and federal and state ministers.

As such, Shafie, who is also Sabah finance minister, invited all leaders whether at the federal or states level to continue to be united to together bring about much more changes as desired by the people because any elements of disunity would be counterproductive.

“Whoever we are, this country belongs to all of us. See Malaysia as our home, as one big family living in peace and harmony,” he said.

The chief minister said Malaysia existed on the premises of tolerance and mutual understanding and that each demand and offer made were after due consideration and that in the end decisions were made based on consensus.

"So, we must maintain this spirit and hold to the principle that all things can be achieved through discussions,” he said.

On Malaysia Day and the formation of Malaysia, Shafie said Malaysia was built on a pact of noble values to build an independent and sovereign country where the people were free and as such there was a need to revisit the contents of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

- Bernama