SILENT HISTORY OF SARAWAK
BORNEONISATION vs. MALAYANISATION
This article is reposted from "Pengayau's" web page with our humble thanks.
The Malayan government history of the Sarawak Malayan relationship has always been glossed over but it was at one stage near to totally break down when the Sarawak Government under C.M. Stephen Ningkan resisted "Malayanisation".
One of the so-called safeguards and agreement on the formation of Sarawak which involved conservative Sarawakians leaders at the final stages, was "Borneonisation". This was the agreement that Sarawakians were to take over the Sarawak civil service and all the positions.
Prof. Michael Leigh (pronounced "Lee") said in his book the "Rising Moon" that Malaya's objective was to centralize its rule which conflicted immediately with the federation ideas.
After the fond fare welling of the British colonial masters, the honeymoon between the new colonial master and the new subject ended quickly.
The Malayan government fell to the serious business of re-writing all the agreements with its attempts to centralize Malayan rule and inevitable tension and resistance from the "new states".
The first casualty was Singapore separation which effectively tore up the Malaysia Agreement.
The "Sarawak Crisis" erupted at around the same time.
This article gives some details of the 1965-1966 Malayan hatched "constitutional crisis" to oust Ningkan following the breakup with Singapore and the process of neutralizing and absorbing the opposition like the SUPP led by moderate leaders after the British had suppressed the left wing section of the party.
Vernon Porrit's article contained a few factual errors.
For example some of the dates are not accurate such as Sarawak independence should be from 1841-1941 not 1946 when it was ceded to Britain.
It was under Japanese occupation from 24 Dec. 1941 to Aug. 1945. He also confused the names and identity of some people he mentioned.
"Expatriate" influence continued till 1968 and even later in the defense area. Tim Hardy was still head of Special Branch till 1968. So the Britain was still directing the "show" to some extent especially in securing Sarawak and Sabah "safe" for Malayan rule.
This proved that despite their claims, Malaya was not capable of defending either country in "Malaysia" its first 10 years without British armed might. It was virtually financially broke until Sabah Sarawak oil dollars started to flow to Kuala Lumpur bank accounts.
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| C.M. Stephen Ningkan was a part Iban-Chinese (Hakka). |
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