"Look at Sarawak, Sarawak is smart, Sarawak is united. That is why when Sarawak rants something, the (federal) government has to listen. If there is no Sarawak, they would be gone," the Crown Prince of Johor was reported saying this weekend. What does this "assertiveness", and the recent negotiations over staffing quotas and representation on the Board of Directors with national oil company Petronas, signal? We also ask about the possibility of a Borneo bloc being formed.

This is a report by Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan.