JOINT MEMORANDUM TO UNITED NATIONS 1962
by: Peoples’ Party of Brunei/Sarawak United Peoples’ Party/United National Pasuk Memonggon Party of Sabah
9th September 1962
The Secretary-General, United Nations Organization, New York
Sir
We the undersigned representing our respective parties in the territories of Sarawak, British North Borneo and Brunei have the honour to submit herewith a Joint Memorandum with a view to having it placed before the Committee on Colonies of the UN Organizations or any other competent body for consideration and with a view to seeking the intervention of the UN in the proposed transfer of Sovereignty in British North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak by the United Kingdom to the proposed Federation of Malaysia without the exercise of the right of self-determination by the peoples in these territories, in contravention to the spirit and letter of the Declaration of the UN and the Resolution 1514 (XV) of the UN General Assembly of the 14th December 1960.
We further request that in view of the urgency of the matter earliest opportunity be given to us for making oral representations before the Committee.
Yours faithfully
The United National Pasok Momogun Party of Sabah
(G.S. Sundang) Chairman
The Sarawak United Peoples’ Party
(Ong Kee Hui) Chaiman
The Party Rakyat (Peoples Party)
(A.M. Azahari Mahmud) Chairman
The Secretary-General, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party
P.O. Box 454, Kuching, Sarawak
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LAMPIRAN D
MEMORANDUM SUPP/PRB/PMP KE U.N.
1.The Memorandum is submitted by the following political organizations in the British Borneo territories of the British North Borneo, Brunei and Sarawak viz:
(1) PMP of British North Borneo – a political party with a membership to date of over 30,000 comprising largely of the native inhabitants of North Boreno with few hundred Chinese who are either born in North Borneo or have made North Borneo their home and the object of their loyalty.
(2) PRB, a party established in Brunei since 1956 with a membership of 26,000 comprising all races in Brunei and receiving the overwhelming support of Brunei’s population of 84,000.
(3) SUPP, the first political party to be formed and is the largest party in Sarawak with a membership to date of 47,000 comprising all races who live in Sarawak and therefore a most representative Party. Every one in eight of the adult population in Sarawak is a member of the Party.
2. Those 3 political parties represent the nationalist movement in the territories started independently of each other, are striving for the natural aspiration of the peoples in the British Borneo territories to achieving self-government and independence.
3. Sarawak and British North Borneo (also known as Sabah) are British colonies without any representative government. The Government of United Kingdom has however repeatedly given the pledge that the people in those territories shall be granted self-government and independence.
4. Until the middle of the 19th century, the Sultan of Brunei had exercised sovereignty over Sarawak and over large parts of Sabah. The State of Brunei is a Protectorate of the United Kingdom and through her High Commissioner she can assert and has in fact exercised great influence in the conduct of political affairs in this State. It has no representative government.
5. In 1958 the colonial government of Sarawak and Sabah in pursuance of the Policy of the Greater Kingdom of Great Britain at that time called for closer association of the territories of Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei with a view to forming a federation of these territories. The peoples in these territories were urged to accept the same as prerequisite to grant independence.
6. On 27th May 1961, the PM of the Federation of Malaya Tengku Abdul Rahman made a statement on the concept of Malaysia. At the prompting of the representatives of Governments of Malaya and Singapore, the delegates from North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak attending the regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting, proposed the formation of the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (M.S.C.C.). The pace of and the line taken by this Committee was set or influenced by the representative of the governments of Singapore and Malaya.
7.On 23 November 1961 a joint statement was issued by the British and Malayan Governments to the effect that formation of a “Federation of Malaysia” was a desirable aim and that a Commission was to be set up to ascertain the views of the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak and to make recommendations.
8. The composition of the Commission was Lord Cobbold (Chairman) Sir Anthony Abell (a former Governor of Sarawak) Sir David Wetherston, Dato Wong Pow Nee and Encil Mohammad Bhazali bin Shafie. The Chairman was a joint choice by the British and Malayan Governments, and of the four members two were nominated by the British Government and two by the Malayan Government.
9. In view of the decision of the British Government, and the Colonial Governments of Sarawak and Sabah were bound to support the formation of Malaysia and had utilised every propaganda machine at their disposal to put the proposal in the most favourable light. In Sarawak and elsewhere charges were indiscriminately made on the people who were against Malaysia as Communists, a description equivalent to bandits or foreign agents.
10. The Commission sat in 20 centres in Sarawak and 15 in Sabah and saw over 4,000 people in 690 groups in both Sarawak and Sabah. No referendum was taken.
11. The Government of Brunei set up its own Committee to ascertain the views of the people there and to forward the findings to His Highness the Sultan.
12. As no public demonstrations were allowed when the Commission was in the Colony of Sarawk, a national signature company was launched. Some over 112,000 signatures of adult persons opposing the Malaysia Plan were collected and forwarded to the Commission. These signatures were obtained in very short time and in fact of adverse government propaganda. In term of the total population (750,000), 55% of whom are not adults, the persons against Malaysia are substantially large.
13. The assessment of the Commisson was that one third of the population strongly favoured realisation of Malaysia without condition, one third favoured it with condition and safeguards and the rest against. This assessment was totally wrong and could not be supported by facts and could not be accepted by independent impartial observers.
14. In August 1962 in a joint Communique issued by the British and Malayan Governments, it was stated that the proposed Federation of Malaysia should be brought into being by 31st August and within six months a formal agreement would be concluded to provide for the transfer of sovereignty in Sabah and Sarawak by that state.
15. This decision was against the letter and spirit of the Charter of the UN and particularly its Resolution 1514 (XV) of 14th December 1960 and of the Nine Cardinal Principles of the Rules of the White Rajah which form part of the present Constitution of Sarawak. The said Principles are annexed hereto and marked “a”.
16. The findings of the Committee set up by H.M. the Sultan of Brunei was that the overwhelming majority of the people in the State is against the federation of Malaysia.
17. At the recent general election, candidates of PRB, the only Party in Brunei against the Federation of Malaysia and fighting the elections on that platform were all returned, by winning all the 55 seats.
18. The signatories to this memorandum appeal to the UN and urged that:
(1) the UN should , in pursuance to its declaration and resolutions, intervene in the proposed transfer of sovereignty in Sarawak and Sabah on the ground that such a transfer is a denial to the peoples in these territories of their right to self determination and of their right to complete independence.
(2) Alternatively that a plebiscite organized and conducted by UN be held before such transfer of sovereignty.
(3) In accordance with the peoples’ freely expressed will and desire and our belief, a federation of Union of the three Borneo territories viz Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei be brought about with his Highness the Sultan of Brunei as the Constitutional Head of such Federation or Union.
Dated this 9th September 1962.
The United National Pasok Momogun Party
(G.S. Sundang)
The Partai Rakyat of Brunei
(A.M. Azahari Mahmud)
The Sarawak United Peoples’ Party
(Ong Kee Hui)
------------------------------
The Sub-Committee (the Committee on Petitions) of the UN at its 25th meeting held on 14th September 1962 considered the Memorandum and recommended to the Special Committee that “the request for hearing contained in this communication be granted.” (A/AC.109/PET.46).
The information to grant a hearing to the representatives of the three parties which submitted the joint Memorandum was relayed to the Secretary-General, SUPP by the Under-Secretary, for Trusteeship and Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories of the UN.
------------------------------
Today is the last day of 2013. I would like to close this day with this very important historical document with the message: One day our Sarawak and Sabah flags will fly proudly with all other nations' flags here at UN New York. I am sure we will. Happy New Year, may 2014 bring us one year closer to our aspiration. Lina.
by: Peoples’ Party of Brunei/Sarawak United Peoples’ Party/United National Pasuk Memonggon Party of Sabah
9th September 1962
The Secretary-General, United Nations Organization, New York
Sir
We the undersigned representing our respective parties in the territories of Sarawak, British North Borneo and Brunei have the honour to submit herewith a Joint Memorandum with a view to having it placed before the Committee on Colonies of the UN Organizations or any other competent body for consideration and with a view to seeking the intervention of the UN in the proposed transfer of Sovereignty in British North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak by the United Kingdom to the proposed Federation of Malaysia without the exercise of the right of self-determination by the peoples in these territories, in contravention to the spirit and letter of the Declaration of the UN and the Resolution 1514 (XV) of the UN General Assembly of the 14th December 1960.
We further request that in view of the urgency of the matter earliest opportunity be given to us for making oral representations before the Committee.
Yours faithfully
The United National Pasok Momogun Party of Sabah
(G.S. Sundang) Chairman
The Sarawak United Peoples’ Party
(Ong Kee Hui) Chaiman
The Party Rakyat (Peoples Party)
(A.M. Azahari Mahmud) Chairman
The Secretary-General, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party
P.O. Box 454, Kuching, Sarawak
------------------------------
LAMPIRAN D
MEMORANDUM SUPP/PRB/PMP KE U.N.
1.The Memorandum is submitted by the following political organizations in the British Borneo territories of the British North Borneo, Brunei and Sarawak viz:
(1) PMP of British North Borneo – a political party with a membership to date of over 30,000 comprising largely of the native inhabitants of North Boreno with few hundred Chinese who are either born in North Borneo or have made North Borneo their home and the object of their loyalty.
(2) PRB, a party established in Brunei since 1956 with a membership of 26,000 comprising all races in Brunei and receiving the overwhelming support of Brunei’s population of 84,000.
(3) SUPP, the first political party to be formed and is the largest party in Sarawak with a membership to date of 47,000 comprising all races who live in Sarawak and therefore a most representative Party. Every one in eight of the adult population in Sarawak is a member of the Party.
2. Those 3 political parties represent the nationalist movement in the territories started independently of each other, are striving for the natural aspiration of the peoples in the British Borneo territories to achieving self-government and independence.
3. Sarawak and British North Borneo (also known as Sabah) are British colonies without any representative government. The Government of United Kingdom has however repeatedly given the pledge that the people in those territories shall be granted self-government and independence.
4. Until the middle of the 19th century, the Sultan of Brunei had exercised sovereignty over Sarawak and over large parts of Sabah. The State of Brunei is a Protectorate of the United Kingdom and through her High Commissioner she can assert and has in fact exercised great influence in the conduct of political affairs in this State. It has no representative government.
5. In 1958 the colonial government of Sarawak and Sabah in pursuance of the Policy of the Greater Kingdom of Great Britain at that time called for closer association of the territories of Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei with a view to forming a federation of these territories. The peoples in these territories were urged to accept the same as prerequisite to grant independence.
6. On 27th May 1961, the PM of the Federation of Malaya Tengku Abdul Rahman made a statement on the concept of Malaysia. At the prompting of the representatives of Governments of Malaya and Singapore, the delegates from North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak attending the regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting, proposed the formation of the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (M.S.C.C.). The pace of and the line taken by this Committee was set or influenced by the representative of the governments of Singapore and Malaya.
7.On 23 November 1961 a joint statement was issued by the British and Malayan Governments to the effect that formation of a “Federation of Malaysia” was a desirable aim and that a Commission was to be set up to ascertain the views of the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak and to make recommendations.
8. The composition of the Commission was Lord Cobbold (Chairman) Sir Anthony Abell (a former Governor of Sarawak) Sir David Wetherston, Dato Wong Pow Nee and Encil Mohammad Bhazali bin Shafie. The Chairman was a joint choice by the British and Malayan Governments, and of the four members two were nominated by the British Government and two by the Malayan Government.
9. In view of the decision of the British Government, and the Colonial Governments of Sarawak and Sabah were bound to support the formation of Malaysia and had utilised every propaganda machine at their disposal to put the proposal in the most favourable light. In Sarawak and elsewhere charges were indiscriminately made on the people who were against Malaysia as Communists, a description equivalent to bandits or foreign agents.
10. The Commission sat in 20 centres in Sarawak and 15 in Sabah and saw over 4,000 people in 690 groups in both Sarawak and Sabah. No referendum was taken.
11. The Government of Brunei set up its own Committee to ascertain the views of the people there and to forward the findings to His Highness the Sultan.
12. As no public demonstrations were allowed when the Commission was in the Colony of Sarawk, a national signature company was launched. Some over 112,000 signatures of adult persons opposing the Malaysia Plan were collected and forwarded to the Commission. These signatures were obtained in very short time and in fact of adverse government propaganda. In term of the total population (750,000), 55% of whom are not adults, the persons against Malaysia are substantially large.
13. The assessment of the Commisson was that one third of the population strongly favoured realisation of Malaysia without condition, one third favoured it with condition and safeguards and the rest against. This assessment was totally wrong and could not be supported by facts and could not be accepted by independent impartial observers.
14. In August 1962 in a joint Communique issued by the British and Malayan Governments, it was stated that the proposed Federation of Malaysia should be brought into being by 31st August and within six months a formal agreement would be concluded to provide for the transfer of sovereignty in Sabah and Sarawak by that state.
15. This decision was against the letter and spirit of the Charter of the UN and particularly its Resolution 1514 (XV) of 14th December 1960 and of the Nine Cardinal Principles of the Rules of the White Rajah which form part of the present Constitution of Sarawak. The said Principles are annexed hereto and marked “a”.
16. The findings of the Committee set up by H.M. the Sultan of Brunei was that the overwhelming majority of the people in the State is against the federation of Malaysia.
17. At the recent general election, candidates of PRB, the only Party in Brunei against the Federation of Malaysia and fighting the elections on that platform were all returned, by winning all the 55 seats.
18. The signatories to this memorandum appeal to the UN and urged that:
(1) the UN should , in pursuance to its declaration and resolutions, intervene in the proposed transfer of sovereignty in Sarawak and Sabah on the ground that such a transfer is a denial to the peoples in these territories of their right to self determination and of their right to complete independence.
(2) Alternatively that a plebiscite organized and conducted by UN be held before such transfer of sovereignty.
(3) In accordance with the peoples’ freely expressed will and desire and our belief, a federation of Union of the three Borneo territories viz Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei be brought about with his Highness the Sultan of Brunei as the Constitutional Head of such Federation or Union.
Dated this 9th September 1962.
The United National Pasok Momogun Party
(G.S. Sundang)
The Partai Rakyat of Brunei
(A.M. Azahari Mahmud)
The Sarawak United Peoples’ Party
(Ong Kee Hui)
------------------------------
The Sub-Committee (the Committee on Petitions) of the UN at its 25th meeting held on 14th September 1962 considered the Memorandum and recommended to the Special Committee that “the request for hearing contained in this communication be granted.” (A/AC.109/PET.46).
The information to grant a hearing to the representatives of the three parties which submitted the joint Memorandum was relayed to the Secretary-General, SUPP by the Under-Secretary, for Trusteeship and Information from Non-Self-Governing Territories of the UN.
------------------------------
Today is the last day of 2013. I would like to close this day with this very important historical document with the message: One day our Sarawak and Sabah flags will fly proudly with all other nations' flags here at UN New York. I am sure we will. Happy New Year, may 2014 bring us one year closer to our aspiration. Lina.
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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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