PBDS Baru president Bobby William
KUCHING (Sept 17): Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) disagrees with Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing’s view that the ‘marriage’ of the Borneo states with Malaya to form Malaysia is the best option for all Malaysians.
Its president Bobby William said while Masing might think so, most Sarawakians see it in a rather different perspective.
He said the state government’s views sometimes differ from the view of majority of Sarawakians, especially when many are now more aware about how Malaysia was formed.
“There is no doubt many would agree, including PBDSB, with Masing that the birth of Malaysia 58 years ago on Sept 16, 1963 is a momentous historical event but the ‘marriage’ between Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah was never a smooth union.
“Facts are always facts which cannot be denied, yet in school, the history being taught to the young generation over the past 58 years is not actually the genuine history of how Malaysia was formed.
“Because the true history of the formation of Malaysia was never taught in school, the so-called ‘marriage’ never went through a smooth union at all.
“Hence, by academically informing the brief and untold genuine history, like what Masing did, really did not make things better,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Bobby said it took a lot of effort by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and activists to spread the truth about the genuine formation of Malaysia to all Sarawakians and Sabahans and thanks to History Channel (in recent years) the real truth about the formation of Malaysia was exposed.
These facts, he added, had begun to be pondered by many Sarawakians and Sabahans on the history of the formation of Malaysia, which was never taught in school during their childhood.
Bobby said PBDSB was rather disappointed that as one of Sarawak’s well-known senior ministers, Masing in his statement did not truly provide the authenticity of the union and the consequences.
He lamented that lack of authentic information on the formation of Malaysia from both the state and federal governments had caused a lot of misunderstandings and bickering between Malaya and the two Bornean states on the distribution of resources, among others, which have led some Sarawakians and Sabahans to feel the only way out is to ‘divorce’ or in political terms, secede, from Malaysia.
He argued that if there is no provision in the Federal Constitution for secession as what Masing had said, there is a way out for there is a recourse in international law which allows for a referendum.
He asked if really there is lack of proof to show oppression by the federal authority to apply grant for recession from the International Court of Justice (IJC), why do Sarawakians and Sabahans still feel oppressed and are still fighting for the rights of secession or ‘to divorce’ until today.
“We suggest that Masing and other Sarawak ministers look into this as a citizen’s point of view instead of a minister’s view, as no citizen would even bother to ever think or even consider ‘divorce’ or secession, if truly the citizens of Sarawak and Sabah do not feel oppressed, unfairly treated or being ‘anak-tiri-kan’ for the past 58 years of being part of Malaysia.
“In actual fact, the so-called ‘marriage’ is not an actual marriage as a ‘one to one’ equality scenario because Sarawak and Sabah had even been downgraded to the same level with other states in the Federation of Malaya.
“A correct ‘marriage abbreviation’ claim should be more appropriate if Sarawak and Sabah are treated equally with Malaya,” he said.
Bobby pointed out that although Malaysia was formed by three nations (after Singapore’s exit), not 14 states, Malayans could never comprehend the bond of relationship, the unity and also autonomous rights which all Sarawakians and Sabahans are fighting for.
He said because the true history on the formation of Malaysia was never taught or had been swept under the carpet, those from Malaya still claimed that September 16 is the 64th anniversary of the Federation of Malaysia while the citizens in Sarawak and Sabah claim it to be 58th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia (based on Malaysia Agreement 1963).
He said the confusion on National Day on Aug 31 (which in actual fact is Malaya’s independence day) and Malaysia Day on Sept 16 was still ridiculously ongoing until this very day.
“This issue is considered serious, which Masing or even the chief ministers of Sarawak and Sabah should really look into and make it right for the people of Sarawak and Sabah.
“But in reality, due to political interests and whatever benefits which come with it, the citizens of Sarawak and Sabah duly accept the fact that such measures or actions shall not be forthcoming from either side of the government at all,” he added.
Bobby cautioned that with how things are going on today, added with the newly drafted four Syariah law bills, which include a bill to control and restrict the development of non-Muslim religions, the so-called marriage does not even show any equality and justice to the non-Muslim citizens in this democratic nation of Malaysia at all.