KOTA KINABALU: “The truth behind the takeover of Sabah and Sarawak by Malaya appears to be revealed, intentionally or unintentionally, by the comparison of Sabah and Sarawak “joining” Malaysia similarly to the States of Wisconsin and Hawaii joining the original 13 States of the U.S.A. as disclosed by PM Najib on Malaysia Day in Miri,” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting Najib’s statement that the newer States other than the founding 13 States in U.S.A. celebrate 4th of July as their Independence Day despite joining later and that Sabah and Sarawak should accept 31 August 1957 as the Independence Day of Malaysia.
Sabah and Sarawak never negotiated to join as the 12th and 13th States of Malaya or Malaysia. If this was the basis and disclosed to Sabah and Sarawak, the founding fathers of Sabah would not have agreed and
there would be no Malaysia in existence today.
Right from the outset, Malaysia was to be a new nation, a partnership and succinctly stated by Lord Cobbold, chairman of the Cobbold Commission that:
“It is a necessary condition that from the outset, Malaysia should be regarded by all concerned, as an association of partners, combining in the common to create a new nation but retaining their own individualities.”
In fact, Tun Fuad forewarned of being the 12th and 13th states of Malaya and did not agree to it when he said:
“If we had been asked to join at the time Malaya achieved Independence and Britain made it possible for us, the story would have been a different one. Now that “Merdeka” has been Malaya’s for some years, and we are still struggling towards it, Malaya’s proposal that we join the 12th, 13th and 14th states savours of imperialism, of a drive to turn us into Malayan colonies. To join Malaya, while we are still colonies….. The implication is to hand (ourselves) over to your control.”
As aptly put by Chief Minister Adenan, there was no Malaysia to join as Malaysia was not in existence.
As a gentle reminder to PM Najib, one of the founding fathers of Sarawak, the late Datuk James Wong reminded Malaysians that Sarawak did not join Malaysia but helped form Malaysia in 1963. This was recently re-affirmed by the Chief Minister of Sarawak live on national television and that Malaysia was only formed in 1963 with special safeguards for Sabah and Sarawak in their constitutional arrangement.
Najib should also consult Malaysia’s top judge, Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria who said in Kota Kinabalu several months ago when launching the book 'The Constitutional Rights of Sabah and Sarawak' that Sabah and Sarawak formed Malaysia and that they are key partners in the Federation of Malaysia.
From the Sabah perspective, it is clearly spelt out in the Constitution of Sabah at Article 46(1) that "the Federation" means the Federation to be known, on and after Malaysia Day, by the name Malaysia. It does not recognize and is not part of the Federation of Malaya that existed between 31.08.1957 and 15.09.1963.
The rumblings of discontentment and unhappiness amongst the people in Sabah and Sarawak are moving towards its tipping point with a slight majority wanting Sabah and Sarawak to opt out of Malaysia.
The PM need to convene his advisers and historians and review the history of the formation of Malaysia and rectify the mistakes of past leaders including his late father. He need to stop hoodwinking the people and distorting the facts of history and take the necessary steps to restore Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia as promised by the 1st and only Prime Minister of Malaya and the 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman, who said:
“The important aspect, of the Malaysia Ideal as I see it, is that it will enable the Borneo territories to transform their present colonial status to self-government for themselves and absolute independence in Malaysia simultaneously.”
“The granting of self-government too would enable Sabah to stand on its own feet as equal with Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore."
It is the only way of saving Malaysia from tethering towards break-up.
Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan
Chairman
Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF)
19 September 2014
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