|
|
Rajah Raqafluz (Pen name) is the admin for "STAR TODAY".
Believe in STAR Sarawak and United Borneo Front (UBF), advocate of Borneo Agenda, and a firm follower of Harunyahya.
|
Sarawak is unarguably one of the most important countries in Malaysia federation aside from Sabah and Malaya with Singapore being "ejected" by Malaya from the Malaysia federation without the consent of Sarawak and Sabah. With the fact that it has adopted the spirit of democracy and with its modern conception of religious freedom and racial harmony, it enjoys an influential position, not only in the Malaysia federation, but in a broad swath of the South East Asia and even the world and that position makes it valuable not only in the East, but also to the West.
Sarawak has always been a country that faced both East and West and it still maintains that position today due to the experience that it gain through Brooke Era ala British administration despite geographically located in the East.
Those who seek to clearly separate "East mentality" and "West mentality" seek not justice and democracy, but rather to create the misconception and misleading prejudices among Sarawakian. We all know that a desire to rule which does not value people or respect the opinions and beliefs cannot be a just one and, more importantly, that such a desire cannot establish security. It is impossible for it to bring stability, value or have any respect for a territory.
Sarawak's approach is one of supporting what is right even if the majority may not agree with it. Sarawak’s heeding its conscience rather than its interests, acting in the light of what is right rather than adjusting itself to prevailing conditions is a sign that it is a country that can be comfortably trusted by both East and West; it would be wrong to perceive that as a threat.
Meanwhile Sarawak and Sabah are two powerful countries in the region and are natural allies. The fact that the condition arises politically, socially and commercially between Sarawak and Sabah recently and in the past have ever confirmed that fact.
Sarawak has been changing together with the region over the last 176 years since Sarawak nationhood in 1841. What we are looking at is not an antidemocratic approach, but judicial measures within a legal and democratic framework intended to ensure the safety of all Sarawakians.
Although Sarawak humbly has not yet reached the democracy it would like, it is taking major strides toward democratization. The rights and privileges acquired by Sarawakians, whose existence was denied and manipulated 50 years ago since the tricky formation of Malaysia federation due to the oppression by secretive deep- state cliques, are cause for rejoicing for all Sarawakians.
Major improvements have also been made to the rights enjoyed by Malay, Dayak, Chinese, Bidayuh and more respectable various tribes and races in Sarawak either Muslim, Christian, Buddhist citizens. The torture and oppression that used to be inflicted systematically is now almost non-existent. Unsolved homicides are no longer taking place, and efforts are being made to solve those that took place in the past.
Of course there is still much to be done, but the value of the gains cited above is enormous. If the Malaya regime and political stooges remain under the influence of certain prejudiced circles within this process, if it does not treat Sarawak fairly, then it will be making a historic error.
Sarawak is not the friend of one single belief, idea or country: Its perspective is one that embraces all and treats everyone with the same respect. Sarawak wants friendships, not enmities. It knows that its happiness cannot be built on another country’s unhappiness.
More importantly, the spirit acquired during the more than 176-year history of the Sarawak Republic since 1841, a modern and enlightened one devoid of extremism, but open to ideas and on the side of freedom, is of great value to Sarawak and contribution to Malaysia federation and that spirit will lead the way to peace, friendship and brotherhood in the region and throughout the world.
