HISTORICAL NOTES FROM LIMBANG
Protest against Council Tax and Representation to the Cobbold Commission against the Malaysia Plan
In 1961 SUPP Limbang organized a peoples’ protest against council housing tax. A few hundred of them turned up to protest against paying the tax. More than 300 of them got detained at the police station. Stephen Yong, Sec-Gen of SUPP came to Limbang and asked for their release. All were released within one day. The people refused to pay up, and the Council could not do anything, so the matter was gantung.
When the Malaysia Plan was announced in July 1962, the Chinese representatives were invited to attend a meeting. The Chinese were asked to support the Malaysia Plan by a leading personality in Limbang. When the people asked him why they should support the Plan, the personality said that if they didn’t, Indonesia would invade and take over Sarawak. This person who supported the formation of Malaysia would go on to amass great wealth. Those who opposed the formation of Malaysia would be hunted down, arrested and spend the best part of their youth in prison.
When the Cobbold Commission arrived in Limbang, three representatives from the Chinese community – KT Lim Kim Tee, TH Loi and ST Chang met the Cobbold Commission and informed them that they had sent in their petition under SUPP to voice their opposition to the Malaysia Plan. In the Limbang petition, 2/3 of the Limbang population including 100% Kedayan opposed the Malaysia Plan; and they wanted Sarawak independence. Yet the Cobbold Report will be silent on the petition.
Nationalist heroes of Limbang in 1962/63 – Kedayan, Malay, Iban, Murut/Lun Bawang, Bisaya, Chinese, we salute you. You lost the battle for independence 1962/63 but your fight for freedom, liberty and sacrifices will be remembered.
Pic: courtesy of Chua Limbang. this is a re-post. I once took the river trip from miri/brunei to limbang, midway river journey there is the immigration pondok, we had to show our passports, it sure is unusual to meet an floating ICQ, where swak and brunei waters meet.
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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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