1. There will come a time - maybe years in the future - when the different ethnic groups living in the Island of Borneo will have no choice but to come to an understanding that they have a common destiny. This is a destiny that no one can actually predict but it can be planned to a limited extent.
2. This understanding need not be political. It can be economic development whereby all racial groups in the entire Borneo Island will be able to enjoy the fruits of economic developments, from the smallest to the biggest. No one and no particular group must be omitted from benefiting from such developments. The people of Borneo must progress together. No group can deny the existence and the rights of the other groups.
3. Sabah and Sarawak of the Malaysian Federation are in the ideal position to help make this understanding a reality. The construction of the Pan-Borneo network of roads will facilitate the realisation of the understanding between peoples of the different regions of Borneo. In the process, the citizens of Malaysia within the boundaries of Sabah and Sarawak, Indonesian citizens living in Kalimatan and the people of Brunei will enjoy a higher standard of living. Hopefully!
4. In order to ensure that people in the lowest strata of society will benefit, policies - and laws - are needed to prevent any exploitation or the usurpation of the rights of the common people of the entire island. Everyone must work faithfully guided by this principle.
5. The understanding may also be on security from hostile elements from outside and from within. This is an area for political leaders of the three countries to look into.
6. What the Bornean people themselves can do is to agree on initiatives to come to each others' aid during times of natural disasters. This can be in the form of MOUs. Here, NGOs having such objectives can spearhead initiatives to make this a reality.
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