STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SARAWAK: RISE OF 21ST CENTURY SARAWAK NATIONALISM - LINA SOO

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!

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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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SARAWAK: NEW YEAR 2014, EXPOSE (JOINT MEMORANDUM TO UNITED NATIONS 1962) - LINA SOO

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

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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STATE REFORM PARTY (STAR) SABAH: ‘BN bullying, lying to Sabahans’ - YB DATUK DR. JEFFREY KITINGAN

Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan is the Chairman of STAR Sabah and State Assemblymen for N33, Bingkor, Sabah.

He also contested in P180, Keningau garnering 11900 strong votes

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah state assembly representatives on the other side of the divide are struggling to fend off claims by Barisan Nasional coalition leaders that only the BN can bring development to the various constituencies.

One of them has even called the claim a deception aimed at misleading ordinary Malaysians especially in the rural constituencies where many have been waiting for better basic facilities and amenities such as clean water, steady electricity supply and even roads.

Bingkor assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan, who’s been the most vocal said that it was disconcerting to note that it had become the standard for the Umno and BN leaders to make big claims but not be forthcoming when they are in power.

“It is sad for Malaysia that BN ministers and BN leaders have to stoop so low to continue with lies and deception to fool ordinary Malaysians that only the Barisan Nasional can bring about development for their constituencies

“This is used against the opposition and played up by the mainstream media controlled by the Umno/BN government,” he said, adding that even the media that is not controlled by the BN feel bullied and threatened to such an extent that the news becomes distorted or censored.

“The truth is that the statement that only Umno/BN can bring about development is a blatant lie,” he said when making a point that the same coalition government had ignored the needs of the people when the same constituencies were under their sway.

Kitingan said it was frustrating to note that such statements were accepted as the ‘truth’ by simple rural folk who had been starved of development assistance owed to them by any responsible government.

These people, he said, are being conned into believing that whatever development projects that are being implemented in their villages is not their right but a gift by the Umno/BN government.

“Even official government projects are advertised in billboards as another project by the BN. Nothing is further from the truth,” Kitingan said.

He said it was sad that the government had to perpetuate these lies to erase the line between the responsibility of any government and the Umno/BN.

“They are different when it comes to implementing projects.  The undisputed fact is that every single government project is not by Umno/BN but by the ruling government of the day.

“When the Umno/BN do not form the ruling government, the development projects will still be undertaken by the non-Umno/BN government.

“Development projects do not stop if Umno/BN do not form the government. It is the responsibility of the ruling government of the day to undertake development projects whether it is a school, a road, road repairs or even basic treated water and electricity,” he said.

BN failure

Kitingan who is also STAR Sabah chairman, said the BN was playing politics with government responsibilities.

“If any people do not get treated water but just gravity-fed water supply or no electricity supply or no proper sealed roads, it only means that the ruling government has failed the people.

“The failure is that of the government that is led by Umno/BN.

“The people need to realise the truth behind these lies. For instance in Selangor, Penang and Kelantan, the projects are undertaken by the government of the day which is the Pakatan.

“The Umno/BN in these states carry out no project whatsoever other than projects which are undertaken by the federal government,” he pointed out.

He said it was despicable that the federal and state governments were holding back on development projects to punish the people in opposition-held constituencies.

“They have no right to deprive the people in opposition constituencies of any development project as it the right of any individual to vote whichever party he or she chooses.

“If the Umno/BN-led federal and state governments still wish to use development projects as their trump card to punish voters who voted for the opposition, then they should stop collecting taxes from these opposition voters.

“Let only Umno/BN voters pay taxes and let the Umno/BN government to use these taxes to fund their development projects.

“The same goes for BR1M hand-outs. The money that funds these BR1M hand-outs are public money contributed by all tax-payers not only Umno/BN party members or their voters,” he contended.

He quipped that  Umno/BN leaders would next be claiming to be Santa Clauses when giving out these BR1M hand-outs during the festive season and claim credit for them even though the money does not belong to them.

Credits: FMT

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By, Rajah Raqafluz

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