When Datuk Kalakau Untol first ventured into the digital arena by publishing a political podcast with Francis Fahir, many — including myself — thought it would be a one-off experiment. How mistaken that assumption was. What began as a tentative foray soon turned into a vigorous series of spirited podcasts called “Suara Borneo Utara” each one reinforcing his determination to highlight the urgent need for Sabahans to rally behind the vision of a new state government — one free from the persistent grip of Malayan interference.
Kalakau now speaks with the zeal of a man on a mission, charging forward with what some might call a whirlwind crusade, and others, a calculated rampage. His words pour out with urgency as he exposes what he terms the “federal machinations” that have long subjugated Sabah, while calling for the birth of a new coalition rooted firmly in local political soil. This demand, once whispered in private, is now openly aired with fervor by Sabahans across the spectrum — spanning ethnicity, religion, and age — who share the rising conviction that their state must stand on its own.
What makes Kalakau’s effort particularly remarkable is its independence. He is not backed by government machinery, corporate funding, or institutional sponsorship. His campaign is wholly self-financed, voluntary, and powered by sheer conviction. No Sabahan politician before him has undertaken such a proactive initiative in this manner. In leveraging digital technology, Kalakau has tapped into the raw potential of podcasting — an accessible platform with built-in audiences, unhindered by the costs and bureaucratic hurdles of traditional campaigning.
It is no small credit to Kalakau — once the Member of Parliament for Tuaran and Deputy Minister of Labour — that he has re-emerged from years of relative silence to reignite his political voice. In Tuaran, he has revived his following and reasserted his mobility on the ground. His journey back into active politics has seen him partner with veteran leaders such as Datuk Wilfred Bumburing in Parti Cinta Sabah, later crossing into PBRS with Bumburing’s group. When Bumburing eventually returned to UPKO, Kalakau lingered in political limbo, weighing his options. Ultimately, his ideological alignment with Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan crystallized, drawing him into STAR, where he was immediately entrusted with reviving the dormant Sulaman division after the passing of its late leader, David Orok.
Seeing both the rationale and sincerity of STAR’s struggle under Dr Jeffrey, Kalakau was inspired to launch a wave of podcasts that steadily transformed from mild commentary into unapologetically hard-hitting broadsides. His latest installment delivered perhaps his sharpest critique yet, lambasting GRS — the ruling coalition in Sabah — as “a government without virtue.”
“The GRS government has no conscience, no principle, and no courage to stand on its own,” Kalakau declared. “It fails to demonstrate the virtue and dignity needed to demand the state’s rights, whether in the matter of MA63, oil and gas entitlements, or simply listening to the people’s voice.”
He singled out Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Hj Noor for inconsistency:
“One day Hajiji insists Sabah will chart its own course, the next day he insists on working with PH. Such contradictions only expose his reliance on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s approval. This is why GRS appears to Sabahans as a government with the trappings of authority but devoid of virtue or self-respect.
By leaning too heavily on Malaya’s authority, it resembles a cabinet of shadows — Chief Minister, ministers, and all — yet real decisions continue to be dictated by Putrajaya.”
Kalakau likened this dependency to “a king wearing a crown but ruled by voices beyond his kingdom.” He accused GRS of being a puppet administration whose strings are pulled by a handful of federal leaders, particularly the Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi. Hajiji’s repeated insistence on working with Pakatan Harapan, while rejecting Barisan Nasional, further demonstrated, he argued, this subservient orientation.
Drawing from Sabah’s political history, Kalakau traced a pattern of federal interference undermining state governments since 1967. He cited episodes from the fall of USNO, Berjaya and PBS, to the dramatic downfalls of 1994 and 2018 — each marked by party defections engineered through money, pressure, and the heavy hand of Kuala Lumpur. He recalled how the Petroleum Development Act followed in the wake of the 1976 Double Six Tragedy, imposed under the climate of fear created by the Internal Security Act, which silenced dissent with detention without trial. Even though the ISA has been repealed, its successor SOSMA remains, alongside institutions such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which he accused of selective prosecution.
Against this backdrop, Kalakau insists on the need for a new government — one willing to govern Sabah with courage, free from docility and subservience. He argues that Sabah must be steered back onto the right track, ruled purely by local parties, and in solidarity with Sarawak to reform Malaysia’s federalism. The model, he stressed, should be a confederation of three regions — Sabah, Sarawak, and Malaya — each governed by their respective local parties. Such an arrangement, he noted, has been voiced not only by East Malaysian leaders but also by prominent West Malaysian figures like Tunku Ismail Idris of Johor and Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak.
“The incompetence and weakness of GRS have left Sabahans in poverty and humiliation,” he concluded. “It is time to elect a government that governs with independence, dignity, and vision — one that can make virtuous decisions to propel Sabah into accelerated progress. In this new age of high technology and artificial intelligence, we cannot afford to be ruled by a government still shackled by fear of external masters. This servile posture neglects the people’s aspirations and condemns them to remain citizens of Malaysia’s poorest state.”
Kalakau shows no sign of slowing down. He revealed that his upcoming podcasts will feature prominent leaders, including counterparts from Sarawak. Could this even extend to an appearance by Abang Johari? Time will tell.
Meanwhile, in Tuaran, Kalakau and his team are conducting grassroots surveys to measure support on the ground. With each podcast and every outreach effort, his momentum grows, stirring fresh energy into STAR’s political machinery. For Sabahans following his crusade, the anticipation now lies in how far he will push the intensity of his oratory — and how deeply it will resonate with a population increasingly restless for change.
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