Merdeka Day or Malaysia Independence Day celebration will fall on 31August. 31 August has no significance to Sarawak as it is an Independence Day of Malaya in which Sarawak should not get involved in its celebration.

If Sarawak govenment decides or take part in the celebration, it will be a waste of public fund. How could a nation celebration an Independence Day when the nation (Federation of Malaysia) had never been a colony of a foreign power?

What we know Malaya celebrates 31 August as Merdeka Day because it will be to celebrate the day Malaya was granted independence by the United Kingdom. Malaya was granted independence on 31 August 1957 by the United Kingdom Parliament passing the Malaya Independence Act 1957.

To celebrate 31 August as Merdeka Day inimplies that the Sarawak government is admitting Sarawak is a colony of Malaya. Infact, it is difficult to convince Sarawakians that Sarawak is not a colony of Malaya. Being a colony of Malaya, Malaya has the political right to pass laws in the federal Parliament to exploit human resources and to take natural resources of Sarawak

31 August has no significance to Malaysia too because Malaysia was not created on 31 August 1963 but on 16 September 1963.

It has to be noted that Sarawak did not help formed or joined Malaysia. This is because records in the United Nations Secretariat showed that Sarawak Sabah and Singapore were acquired under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 signed on 9 July 1963 to enlarge the territories of Malaya effective 16 September 1963.

Malaya then through Dato Ong Yoke Lin, informed the United Nations Secretariat that Malaya took a new name Malaysia effective 16 September 1963.

This means Malaya is Malaysia and Malaysia is Malaya.

Therefore, celebrating 31 August will be to misled our own people.
Hopefully all understand why Sarawakians should not show joy of any celebration on 31 August each year

Voon Lee Shan President Parti Bumi Kenyalang
15 Aug 2024