RISE OF 21ST CENTURY SARAWAK NATIONALISM
If I were to be asked what would be the most important event that happened to Sarawak in 2013, my answer undoubtedly would be ‘722’.
Indeed Sarawak is not short of nationalist figures in its history since genesis on 24 September 1841. The stories of Rentap, the Orang Ulu, the Malay in the 1946 Anti-Cession movement, Rosli Dhoby, the Kedayan in the Borneo War 1962, the Chinese and Dayaks in the Anti-Malaysia movement – all of them would be brutally crushed by the Brooke government, the British colonial government and the British/Malaya armed forces.
Fast forward to 2013, Sarawak’s 50th year in the federation of Malaysia. By now Sarawak’s population had trebled from 750,000 in 1960 to 2.3million.
For the first time in 50 years, some Sarawak nationalists came together, willingly and with one heart, to hold an Independence Walk, on the 50th anniversary of Sarawak’s first self-government headed by Stephen Kalong Ningkan who was sworn in as Sarawak’s first Chief Minister on 22 July 1963. Not complete independence from its colonial status in total, but a significant step towards self-rule.
On 20th July 2013 on a fine Sunday morning, a civil movement of 120 Sarawakians of all races, religion and political ideologies, supported by more than 10 Sabahans , walked from Ban Hock Road to Central Padang. 120 in a population of 2.3million may not count for much, but our semangat was herculean, and each step we took was a giant leap forward.
(We do not at this time acknowledge Central Padang as Padang Merdeka, not until Sarawak is totally merdeka dan berdaulat in its own right, totally and unreservedly).
On 22 July, the Sarawak government would hold an official ceremony to commemorate our 50th year of self-government. For the first time.
May the flame of Sarawak nationalism burn even brighter in 2014.
Sarawak For Sarawakians, then and now, for keeps.
Happy New Year!
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Lina Soo is a candidate for State Reform Party (STAR) for P196 Stampin, Sarawak in GE-13 and the author of popular book "Sarawak the Real Deal"
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