Happy Birthday Malaysia

Today is the eve of Malaysia's birthday. On September 16th 1963, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya formed a federation. However Singapore pull out of the federation in 1965. Sabah was given independence by the British by "forming" Malaysia, together with the other three states. Note that I used the word "forming"! Purposely to affirm Sabah's position as "one of the three states" in Malaysia. This is clearly the original intention in the spirit of the federation, that somehow I think today has been harshly violated. As Tunku Abdul Rahman puts it;

~... One reaction in the Borneo territories was that the Malaysia concept was an attempt to colonise the Bornean territories. The answer to this was, as I said before, it is legally impossible for the federation to colonise because we desire that they should join us in the federation in equal partnership, enjoying the same status between one another...~ (Extract of speech by Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya, in the Federal parliament on 16 October 1961)

The facts have been distorted to the younger generations. So much so that today many Sabahans haven't got any clue of our "correct" history. Scholastic history syllabus did not include any reliable facts about Sabah's true position in Malaysia. Absolutely no mention about the "Twenty Points". The safeguards that our forefathers made to protect us the descendants of Nunuk Ragang, the offsprings of the Land Below the Wind, sons of Kinoringan. This mean that the younger generations were made to believe that "Sabah has achieved its Independence through Malaysia". That without Malaysia we will forever be clutched under colonialism.

Bear in mind that Sabah achieved its independence on 31st August 1963, prior to forming Malaysia. Therefore North Borneo has already been given independence even before Malaysia was realized. It was known that British government was all for granting Independence to Sabah. But since the local people, at that time were mostly backward in literacy and education, constitutionally incompetent and unable to achieve self-governance. Therefore the British thought it would be ideal to precipitate Independence with the formation of Malaysia. As evidently noted in the following passage.

~... The declared aim of the British Government is to grant independence to all its colonial territories as soon as they are ready for it. Hitherto this has been thought as simply as independence for North Borneo standing by itself or, more recently, in association with Sarawak.~

~... It is the view of the British Government that, provided satisfactory terms of merger can be worked out, the plan for Malaysia offers the best chance of fulfilling its responsibility to guide the Borneo territories to self-government in condition that will secure them against dangers from any quarter.~

(Extract from "North Borneo and Malaysia" published by Authority of the Government of North Borneo, Jesselton, February 1962)

As a responsible younger generation, we need to ask questions regarding our rights in Malaysia. What was the Sabah leader's understanding of the term Independence? Does self-government and self-determination carry the same meaning today as they did then? Is Sabah mere one of fourteen States in Malaysia, or are we one out of three states in Malaysia? What about our current status? What are the original intentions of the federation? Did we merge with Malaya or have we been assimilated into Malaya?

On this eve of Malaysia's 45th birthday. Let us stand firm and be counted, let us together enlighten the younger generations of the true meaning of our indepedence. We must not let our guard down, the "Twenty Points" must be upheld with greatest respect. This mean that the federal treatment of Sabah and Sarawak, must necessarily be different from the other States in the Peninsular, if the rights of Sabahans and Sarawakians were to be respected.

Happy 45th Birthday Malaysia. Kinoringan is watching!