722 is celebrated in Sarawak and the celebration has created much confusion among Sarawakians. Many had questioned the wisdom of celebrating 722 with some asked whether Sarawak ever been granted independence.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang needs to clarify that Sarawak had never been granted independence by the British before the federation of Malaysia was formed. July 22, 1963 had no cultural, political or historical significance to Sarawak. It was only the day Dato Stephen Kalong Ningkan was appointed as the first chief minister of Sarawak.

There was no self-rule or self-government for Sarawak because there was no legal document or instrument issued by the British governor Sir Alexander Waddell or by the United Kingdom government for self-governance. Although Ningkan was the chief minister, the governor was still in full control. At page 61 in DEALS, DATUS AND DAYAKS by Professor Michael Leigh, it is stated that, “…the British governor remained in absolute control through until 31 August 1963.”

A sad thing was that, Sarawak together with Singapore and Sabah, was handed by the British to the federation of Malaya to become part of the federation of Malaya. The British governor, Sir Alexander Waddell, was here until Sarawak was officially handed to the federation of Malaya on 16 September 1963. This showed the British were in full control all the while until Malaysia was formed.

The federation of Malaya then informed the United Nations that it took a new name, the federation of Malaysia effective from 16 September, 1963. Now, relevant declassified secret documents pointed to us that Sarawak, is a colony of Malaya. According to what Tunku Abdul Rahman said, “The British could have given Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak independence, but they did not. Instead, they handed them to us.” at page 89 of the book, Conversation With Tunku Abdul Rahman written by Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad.

The taking of this country by Malaya was against the will of the people of Sarawak and many had been branded as communists or terrorists when they were not just because they opposed the Malaysia Plan mooted by the Tunku Abdul Rahman and the British.

It is difficult from what had been happening around in the past 59 years to convince Sarawakians that that Sarawak is not a colony of Malaya. The GPS government should not deny this fact and should proceed to declare in the Dewan Undangan Negri Sarawak is not yet independent and also to declare Sarawak exit from Malaysia on reason that Sarawak is indeed a colony of Malaya and should be independent.

VOON LEE SHAN
President,
Parti Bumi Kenyalang
21 July, 2022