This is not an agenda in MA63. After Malaysia was formed, Malaya quickly imposed this on Sabah and Sarawak. The first step was to ensure the governor is a Muslim. Later on it was the chief minister's and state secretary's posts followed by most top posts in the administration. Given the present political scenario, it is difficult to reverse this. This is because we had allowed it to happen and had failed to protect our own rights and interests.
They took away Boxing Day and Easter Holidays? Christmas was celebrated for two days if I could recall but now one day only. Holidays in christian calendar are now allocated to Muslims Holidays??
Now there are extra days for hari raya and the days for hari raya could be further increased in the future. This year's extra days for hari raya is a " testing water " strategy by the prime minister. It is a populist strategy to stay in power because Muslims have dominated others and prime minister knew that he must have their support to stay in power.
A time may come when festival holidays of other races would be taken away when they are stronger if minorities keep on supporting them. There was a debate to reduce the number of holidays for Chinese New Year. Holidays for Gawai could not be increased. In fact there was a debate to allow Gawai Antu to be made a holiday but lots of excuses had been given. If we are not alert, a time will come when Chinese New Year and Gawai Dayak may not be celebrated. The Indians in Sarawak had asked for Deepavali to be celebrated as a public holiday in Sarawak and had been refused.
In fact, I spoke for them in the Legislature.
Now we could see many buildings had been dismantled and replaced with Islamic architecture. The government is aggressively promoting Islamic culture and concept in the administration system. We now witnessed change of dressing to Arab styles and "no dress above the knees" policy has been imposed.
Moral Code is dictated by them. The regime also wants to know what you are doing in your bedroom or in private. Laws had been enacted for this.
At the moment there is nothing to prevent the regime from passing laws on what you should eat and how to name your children.
The people in the regime had also imposed on people of other faiths on how to pray to God! The word "Allah" which also means God became a controversy and could not be used in church in Sarawak too. The matter went to court.
All these are not in the Sarawak Constitution and also not in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
When they become very strong they will be like what the Americans did to the Red Indians to deprive them of their land, pass laws in our Parliament to dissolve all native customary land and some native practices.
Parliament is supreme and the Sarawak Legislature may not be able to pass laws to reject laws passed by Parliament. In fact our local politicians in power had always agreed with Malaya.
Know that people in power are smart and more intelligent than us. This was because we had a "couldn't care less" attitude. The "tidak apa" attitude or "bo pien" in Chinese will cause our race being assimilated by the dominant race. We will be like the Red Indians in America, losing our own identity one day.
What Parti Bumi Kenyalang is fighting for is to preserve our Sarawak unique culture of all races and ethnic groups and not to allow one's race and culture to dominate others. The best way to ensure this is to break off from the federation of Malaya by peaceful and legal means in all dealings.
Voon Lee Shan
President Parti Bumi Kenyalang
21 April 2023