Opposition reps to challenge secession ban in Sabah assembly

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 12 — Several opposition representatives have deemed as inappropriate and premature the ban on secession talk in the State Assembly, and have pledged to challenge the speaker in the next sitting.

Kepayan assemblyman Dr Edwin Bosi said that the speaker has started his first day on the job on the wrong footing by pre-emptively banning the word “secession” before presiding over an actual sitting.

“The speaker should decide during the sitting if the word is used, how it is used. Is it unparliamentary? He has to show that it is unparliamentary.

“I will challenge him in the coming sitting on this during my speech,” said the DAP secretary to The Malay Mail Online.

Api Api elected representative Christina Liew said that the prohibition was premature and that the Speaker should not ban the lawmakers from raising issues from the people.

“The speaker must not make such hasty statements. It’s too premature for him to say that. Let’s wait and see as the events turn,” she said.

“Since when are the elected representatives forbidden to raise issues concerning the people’s issues in the dewan? The dewan is the place we raise issues concerning the people’s interests and welfare. How can he stop us?” said the PKR Sabah vice-chairman.

Sabah legislative assembly Speaker Datuk Syed Abas Syed Ali who clocked in for the first time on Monday, had banned the word “secession” from being uttered during sittings and warned lawmakers against discussing the north Borneo state’s separation from Malaysia.

Secession has been a hot topic in the state among politicians, the public and especially on social media since the Facebook group “Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia” gained traction last year.

The group, led by UK-based activist Doris Jones, plays on local sentiments by raising issues on native land, oil royalty rights, racial and religious tension and erosion of rights among other things.

Secession is considered treason in Malaysia and a warrant of arrest has been issued for Jones.

Likas state assemblyman Junz Wong said that the speaker should not hide behind the ban and instead “take the bull by its horns” and delve into the issues surrounding the secession calls in the state.

“Talks of secession should not be seen as a threat to leave the federation but Sabah should take the bull by its horns and find out, understand and review the needs of Sabahans, “ he said adding that Sabahans has been feeling marginalised and discriminated by various policies and decisions by both the state and federal government.

Calling the ban “unconstitutional,” he urged the government to deal with the issues rather than ignore the sentiments by pushing the blame to “certain quarters” and accused them of politicising the issue.

“I challenge the speaker not to ban the word ‘secession’ or ‘secession talks’ in Dewan but instead move a motion to discuss the sentimental issues surrounding the word ‘secession’ ” he said.

Yesterday, Penampang MP Darell Leiking said that the ban was “illogical” and “undemocratic, showing the immaturity of a state that it should be afraid of discussing issues relating to its constitution.”

He said that he would understand banning the usage of profanity during the sitting but words such as “secession” should be used inherently along with “devolution” or “decentralisation” in line with issues related to the development of a country.

“So why is the state government so afraid to discuss issues like ‘secession’, ‘devolution’ and hosts of issues agreed to in the Malaysia Agreement 1963? It is a curtailment of our rights, especially the right of the people’s representative to debate for and on behalf of their constituents,” Leiking said.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/opposition-reps-to-challenge-secession-ban-in-sabah-assembly

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Speaker Starts on Wrong Footing - No More Democracy – Dr. Jeffrey

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Kota Kinabalu: “The new Speaker of the Sabah Legislature has certainly started on the wrong footing and appears to affirm Dr. Mahathir’s declaration that “Democracy in Malaysia is dead” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, commenting on the new Speaker’s ban on the word “secession” in the Assembly while reporting for duty on his first day at the Assembly.

The banning of the word “secession” is unlawful, unconstitutional and against all parliamentary norms and conventions.

Even in recent times, the British Parliament has debated on the independence of Scotland and secession from the United Kingdom.

The open discussions on Scotland’s independence and secession has resulted in the Scottish nationalists winning 56 out of 59 parliamentary seats in Scotland and the British government devolving greater autonomy and rights to Scotland than before. Even before this devolution, Scotland enjoyed many autonomous powers including having its own autonomous government and its own currency in the Scotland Pound.

There should be freedom of speech in the State Assembly and debates on secession if it come to such a situation should be allowed to be debated openly as in any mature democracy.

“Why is the new Speaker so fearful of the word “secession”?”

“Is it because of bowing to the wishes of the federal government or the Sabah Chief Minister or Umno?” asked Dr. Jeffrey.

The new Speaker should take it upon himself to find out why certain groups are voicing out the people’s unhappiness and disillusion over non-compliance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and wanting Sabah out of the Federation or a dissolution of the merger that formed Malaysia.

By banning “secession” the Speaker will only lend credence and credibility that the federal government and Umno are treating Sabah as a colony and afraid of the people’s wishes for compliance of the terms of the formation of Malaysia.

The new Speaker has failed to comprehend that as the Speaker he should detach himself from his position as Umno Balung Assemblyman and remain independent and neutral as envisaged in the Westminster system of government that Sabah and Malaysia adopts.

As the head of the Legislature, the Speaker’s position is the equivalent to the Chief Minister and the head of the Judiciary in Sabah which is the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

The Legislative Assembly is not an extension of the Sabah government and the Speaker is not answerable or subservient to the Chief Minister.

“I hope that by the next Assembly sitting, the new Speaker would have understood his position and is able to defend the Assembly’s role in our democracy and act in the best interests of Sabah and Sabahans and not to his political party or his political masters” said Dr. Jeffrey.

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The saga of Stephen Kalong Ningkan — the conclusion

The concept of 1Malaysia brilliantly espoused by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak can be appreciated when we look at the birth of Malaysia. Ours is a unique country in so many ways. Besides being a melting pot of various races, we are one of the few countries in the world where one half of the country is physically separated from the other by sea — the South China Sea. By looking at history, you will understand how difficult the challenge was for there to be a Malaysia and that the country be one.

Last week, we looked at the build-up to the constitutional crisis in Sarawak involving Stephen Kalong Ningkan expressed in five letters.

On June 16, 1966, the Governor of Sarawak received a letter signed by 21 members of the Council Negri to the effect that the writers no longer had any confidence in Stephen Kalong Ningkan, as their Chief Minister.

The Governor thereupon wrote on June 16 that from representations he had received, he was satisfied that the plaintiff had ceased to command the confidence of the Council Negri and invited Ningkan to resign.

In his reply of June 17, Ningkan informed the Governor that the Governor’s views as to the loss of confidence of the members of the Council Negri in him was not supported by the meeting of the Council Negri held on the June 14 and he requested the names of those who had signed the representations.

In reply to this letter, the Governor on the same date informed Ningkan as he had refused to tender the resignation of members of the Supreme Council, the Governor declared that Ningkan and other members of the Supreme Council had ceased to hold office and appointed Tawi Sli as Chief Minister forthwith. The Governor also forwarded a list of those who had signed the representations and Ningkan commenced proceedings in the Sarawak High Court against the Governor as the first defendant and Tawi Sli as the second defendant.  On Sept 7, 1966, the ruling Chief Justice of Borneo, Justice Harley, delivered his decision on Ningkan’s suit: “Has the Governor in Sarawak power at all to dismiss the Chief Minister? In considering this question, we may start with section 21 of the Interpretation Ordinance, the general effect of which is that where there is power to appoint (and it is not disputed that the Governor has power to appoint a Chief Minister) there is power to dismiss. However, where the appointment is ‘subject to the approval of some other person, the power of dismissal shall only be exercisable subject to the approval of such other person’. If the appointment of a Chief Minister is subject to the approval of Council Negri, then by this section 21 dismissal also would be subject to its approval.

“In Sarawak, the Chief Minister’s dismissal is quite simply beyond the powers of the Governor unless (a) the Chief Minister has lost the confidence of the House, and (b) the Chief Minister has refused to resign and failed to advise a dissolution.

“I do not think that the Chief Minister of Sarawak was ever given a reasonable opportunity to tender his resignation or to request a dissolution. He was never even shown the letter on which the dismissal was based until court proceedings started, although it is true that at the moment of dismissal a list of signatories was sent to him with the letter from the Governor dated 17th June. That list and that letter were typed on the same date as the publication in the Gazette of the dismissal of the plaintiff, who was given no time at all to consider the weight or effect of the move against him. Plaintiff did not refuse to resign: he merely expressed doubts whether in fact he had ceased to command a majority and requested ‘that the matter be put to the constitutional test’.

“My task is simply to interpret the written word of the Constitution. On such interpretation the case presented in the statement of claim is unchallengeable. There will be judgement for the plaintiff as prayed.”

Judgment for Stephen Kalong Ningkan.

Conclusion

And so Stephen Kalong Ningkan had finally won the day. But victory was short-lived. The Federal Government at that time was facing fierce opposition to the concept of Malaysia. Brunei refused to join, and Singapore – the original partner to Malaysia – had seceded from the Federation. Indonesia started the Confrontation Wars. The Philippines still kept alive their claim to Sabah.

There was internal racial tension, which in 1969 culminated in the May 13 riots. The new nation of Malaysia was under immense pressure after its baptism of fire in the world of nations. The loss of Sarawak would have been the knockout blow for the new nation.

It was inevitable that the Federal Government declared a state of emergency which legally ended Ningkan’s reign as Chief Minister of Sarawak. In a strange way, Ningkan was sacrificed to ensure the survival of Malaysia.

Ningkan challenged the emergency declaration right up to the Privy Council, but on each occasion he was defeated. After that his political career descended into oblivion and outside Sarawak he is hardly known or ever mentioned, even though he was the first Chief Minister of Sarawak. You can hardly find his images, even on the Internet.

However, there has been a unique revival of his name through an unusual way. Whenever any student studies or researches the constitutional law of Malaysia, or whenever there is a leading constitutional case before the Malaysian courts, there will be reference to the leading case law authorities involving Stephen Kalong Ningkan or bearing his name.

His cases are standard text book material on Malaysian constitutional law. A most recent example was the recent constitutional crisis in Perak last year, where the Malaysian Courts had to decide whether the legal Menteri Besar is Nizar or Zambry.

Yet few people know or appreciate this statesman of Sarawak and Malaysia who fought a lonely battle in the face of overwhelming odds and had a never-say-die spirit even when the odds were heavily stacked against him.

History is fraught with stories of men who never give up no matter how great the odds against them. I hope that my maiden articles the last three weeks will revive your memory of him and make him a less forgotten hero of Borneo and Malaysia. Have a productive week.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2010/04/26/the-saga-of-stephen-kalong-ningkan-%e2%80%94-the-conclusion/#ixzz3gtgq90Yy

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Masing: Full Autonomy not about gov’t depts

The Sarawak Government is talking about the Malaysia Agreement 1963 where the Federal Government has been in non-compliance.

KUCHING: Senior Minister James Masing thinks that Putrajaya may have misread what Sarawak means by Full Autonomy. “We are not talking about the Sarawak Government taking over Federal Government Departments in Sarawak or having these departments handed over to the control of locals.”

“When we say Full Autonomy, we are referring to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) where the Federal Government has been in non-compliance.’

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak passing off the handover of Federal Government Departments in Sarawak as Full Autonomy, he added, would not help address the situation, the frustration among the people. “Putrajaya must address the issue of non-compliance on MA63.”

“The Sarawak4Sarawakians movement is the messenger of the message of frustration. Don’t try to kill it. Listen to them.”

Any further procrastination on addressing the non-compliance issue on MA63, he warned, would simply strengthen and give credibility to those certain groups pushing for secession. “So, procrastination and playing ignorance in addressing the frustration of the people will not work. They people are now well-educated. They read.”

“MA63 was the basis for Sabah and Sarawak to be in Federation with Malaysia. This basis must be honoured for the Federation to survive.”

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/08/12/masing-full-autonomy-not-about-govt-depts/

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Najib promises Sarawak and Sabah the autonomy they desire

Saying the call for secession was “stupid talk,” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced today that Sabah and Sarawak will be given more autonomy.

Najib said he had instructed chief secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa to thrash out the autonomy details with the state secretaries of the two Borneo states, which will include streamlining of the administration.

“There is too much duplication (in work and decision making processes in state and federal governments).

“I will give the empowerment to Sabah and Sarawak,” he said at the launch of the National month and fly the national flag programme today at Padang Merdeka in Kuching.

He labelled the call for secession “stupid talk”, echoing a sentiment Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said in his address earlier.

The prime minister said the decision of Sarawak's forefathers to become an independent state within Malaysia was apt as it had given Sarawak a lot of benefits like security and economic prosperity

The Sarawak chief minister had raised the question of giving Sarawak more autonomy on decisions to administer the state last June when the prime minister made a trip to Kuching. – August 10, 2015.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-promises-sarawak-and-sabah-the-autonomy-they-requested#sthash.3482cBM1.dpuf

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PM will address Sabah woes soon, no need for secession talk, Umno leader says

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 12 ― Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is well aware of the demands in Sabah for increased autonomy for the state and will soon address these concerns, a senior Umno leader here said in urging for an end to calls for secession.

State Umno deputy chairman Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said the prime minister knows that these demands ― an increase in oil royalty payments and better compliance of the 20-point memorandum on the 1963 Malaysia agreement ― are issues closest to the hearts of Sabah natives.

“The prime minister knows that these are issues to Sabahans and that is a matter that can be achieved through negotiations rather than through armed conflict like secession from Malaysia.

“I am confident that all these issues will be addressed in due time,” he told Malay Mail Online in an email interview.

The newly-appointed communications and multimedia minister also insisted that the majority of Sabahans still believe in the ruling government and would not likely warm to idea of the state’s secession from Malaysia.

He pointed out that many are already wary of the numerous incidences of security breaches along the state’s porous east coast.

“Despite harping on these issues in the previous general elections, the opposition parties still failed to win the hearts and minds of the people as was evident in the 13the general election results,” he said.

In Kuching on Monday, Najib reportedly pledged to empower Sabah and Sarawak, saying he had instructed Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa to touch base with the state secretaries of both Borneo states and look into their demands for more autonomy.

Talk of secession become rife last year after a social media group called “Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia” began gaining traction, especially among the rural youth of east Malaysia.

The group has taken up issues emotive to Sabahans such as the alleged grabbing of native customary land, the influx of illegal immigrants, the lack of infrastructure and development in the state, distortion of historical facts regarding Malaysia’s formation and oil royalty rights.

The movement, which claims to be under a UK-based non governmental organisation “Sabah Sarawak Union”, has been campaigning for a review of the 1963 Malaysia agreement.

It has also played up sentiments against the federal government and promoted an online petition urging for a review of the Malaysian Agreement.

Sabah police have issued a warrant of arrest for its founder, UK-based Doris Jones, but UK does not recognise sedition as a crime.

However, four volunteers of the movement are awaiting trial this September for allegedly promoting secession, which is deemed a crime under the Sedition Act.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/pm-will-address-sabah-woes-soon-no-need-for-secession-talk-umno-leader-says#sthash.FJWoaRRw.dpuf

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New Sabah Speaker bans ‘secession’ from being used in future sittings

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 10, 2015: Newly appointed Sabah Legislative Assembly Speaker has banned the word ‘secession’ in the state’s future sittings.

Datuk Syed Abas Syed Ali made the warning when he clocked in for the new job officially today at the State Legislative Assembly building, here.

Welcomed by his two deputies — Datuk Johnny Mositun and Datuk Johnson Tee, as well as staff, Syed Abas however said it was beyond his control if the assemblymen wished to talk about it outside the auspicious House.

“I can only forbid its usage during the sitting.”

Instead, the Balung assemblyman wanted the assemblymen to discuss issues related to bringing development to the people and for the people.

Syed Abas reminded that Sabah was a big state and needed a lot of funds for the development of roads, water supply and other infrastructures including school infrastructures for school children.

“Even some districts are bigger than the states in the peninsular…so these are the things that I hope our assemblymen will raise during the sitting.

“They need to think not about one tree but about all the trees in the whole forest.”

He also added that he hoped for the cooperation from the assemblymen from both the government and the Opposition and stated that both these groups had the good of Sabah in mind.

Syed Abas, who took over as the 9th Speaker from Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, who resumed his federal ministerial post as the Communication and Multimedia Minister, told the media that it took him and his wife by surprise.

“I was surprised when the chief minister asked me to take over as Sabah’s speaker, with the approval from the Prime Minister. It was a good offer.”

Syed Abas has been in politics since the 1970s and was believed to be the right person for the post due to his vast experience in administration and political arena.

“I was always the backbencher or chairman of government linked corporations, and never did I expect to be appointed, especially since there have been rumours of other people who were likely to become the next State Speaker.

“I was, initially, told that I would probably be offered an assistant ministerial post, so this new responsibility is indeed a real a surprise for me.”

Despite his vast experience, Syed Abas is humbled as he admitted that the new post meant he would have to learn from scratch.

“I am prepared for the new challenge, and while I am the ‘new kid’ here, I believe my able deputies would assist me with the tasks.”

Source: The Rakyat Post

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Najib, Adenan not on same page on autonomy

The Prime Minister does not mention the Full Autonomy that Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has been preaching in his homeland

KOTA KINABALU: The UK-based Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (Bopim), a Borneo rights NGO, takes issue with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak describing “secession” talk in Sabah and Sarawak as “stupid talk”.

Bopim President Daniel John Jambun also noted that Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem, apparently echoing Najib’s remarks, was quoted in the media as saying that, “there’s no need to leave Malaysia, it is a stupid talk. More power to Sarawak, yes, but secession – no”.

“If Najib’s idea of autonomy by way of working through the Federal Government Departments in Sabah and Sarawak goes through, the rights activists in Borneo will step up their respective campaigns ranging from harping on the Federal Government’s non-compliance on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to Full Autonomy and secession to independence.”

However, if Adenan’s idea of Full Autonomy takes off, added Daniel, some rights activists in Borneo may be persuaded that he has cut the Gordian Knot on the Federal Government’s non-compliance on MA63, the issue of Malaysia having no legitimacy in Borneo, and in addition being party to further illegalities as in the case of the illegal immigrants in Sabah in particular.

“Adenan has a point when he lauds the benefits of a Federation but the fact remains that the Federal Government was being monopolised by Malaya and not shared with Sabah and Sarawak as the equal partners envisaged by MA63.”

Leaving aside for the moment the question of Malaysia’s legitimacy in Borneo, and being party to further illegalities as contained in the RCI Report, the fact remains that both Adenan and Najib are not on the same page on the status of Sabah and Sarawak in the Federation with the peninsula, pointed out Daniel.

“Adenan has been quoted as saying in the media last month that the Sarawak Government was engaged in talks with the Federal Government for Full Autonomy,” recalled the Bopim Chief. “He envisages the Federal Government, under the Full Autonomy Plan, confining itself to defence, foreign affairs and internal security.”

For starters, added Daniel, it’s wrong of the Sarawak Government to engage in talks with the Federal Government for Full Autonomy without the participation of the Sabah Government as well and/or for the Federal Government to entertain the notion of such talks with Sarawak only. “Both Sabah and Sarawak are in the same plight vis-a-vis Malaya. So, the question of Sarawak going solo on Full Autonomy talks should not arise. This is the result of Umno being in Sabah”

It’s interesting meanwhile, continued Daniel, that the language coming from Najib on Sabah and Sarawak rights was not the same as that used by Adenan. “Najib makes no mention of the Full Autonomy being preached by Adenan.”

Najib, said Daniel, sees autonomy — the word Full is missing from his vocabulary — in terms of the presence of Federal Government Departments in Sabah and Sarawak. “In that sense, he keeps referring to the duplication and waste between the Federal Government Departments in Sabah and Sarawak and the respective Governments in the two Borneo nations.”

“Going by Najib’s previous statements as well in the media, not so long ago in Sarawak, he sees autonomy and more powers in terms of handing over control of some – not ALL — of the Federal Government Departments in Sabah and Sarawak either to locals or handing them over to the respective state governments.”

It has not been stated by Najib, stressed Daniel, where the Budget will come from if the said Federal Government Departments in Sabah and Sarawak are handed over to the respective Governments in the two Borneo nations. “If the control of the said Government Departments was merely handed over to the control of locals, how does that address the problem of duplication and waste mentioned by Najib?”

“Would the Sabah and Sarawak Governments have to stop duplicating what these Federal Government Departments in the two Borneo nations have been doing once they are handed over to the control of locals?”

It’s an open secret in Borneo, said Daniel, that despite the Sabah and Sarawak Governments being members of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), all three governments have been competing with each other, almost trying to outdo each other on the same things when it comes to the civil service administration.

Source: Free Malaysia Today

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Mt Kinabalu guides honoured on Singapore National Day

Ricky Masirin, Valerian Joannes get posthumous Commendation medals for “devotion to duty” during Sabah quake; four other Malaysians recognised as well.

SINGAPORE: Mountain guides Ricky Masirin and Valerian Joannes who died trying to bring to safety several Singapore primary schoolchildren from the earthquake-stricken Mt Kinabalu in June were honoured by the Singapore government yesterday.

The two guides were posthumously awarded Commendation Medals during Singapore’s National Day Awards for their efforts in trying to guide Tanjong Katong Primary School pupils to safety.

The citation for the guides read: “(for their) Devotion to duty and exemplary conduct during the Sabah earthquake,” The Straits Times and Asia News Network reported.

Muhammad Danish Amran, another Sabah guide who brought several pupils down the mountain to safety, was also honoured together with Malaysian Mountain Torq trainers Hajiris Sulomin, Hilary Hendry Augustinus and James Maikol.

The Malaysians were among 16 others who were honoured.

Among the Singaporeans given the medal were Tanjong Katong School teachers Mohamed Faizal, Joshua Tan, Nur Uzaimah Fadzali, Lee Hui Jun, Carolyn De Souza and Roushan Amir Hussain.

Faizal, who teaches English and physical education, said modestly: “We weren’t doing anything extra. We were doing what is required of us as teachers, which is taking care of the kids under our charge.”

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/08/10/mt-kinabalu-guides-honoured-on-singapore-national-day/

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Sapp to educate Gen-Y on Sabah’s true history

Putrajaya should start counting the Federation with Sabah and Sarawak from 1963 and not from 1957 or from 1948.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) wants to educate the Gen-Y in particular that Sabah was once a country on its own before 16 Sept 1963 when it came together in a Federation with Sarawak, Singapore and the peninsula. “Brunei stayed out at the 11th hour,” noted Sapp Vice- Youth Chief Yong Yit Yoong.

“Now, Sabah like Sarawak is a nation within the Federation. Full Autonomy is our Constitutional right. The Federal Government has also reneged on the Borneonisation of the civil service.”

He was explaining the purpose of the Black Sunday 2.0 Gathering on Sunday along Gaya Street, the venue of the packed weekly Sunday Market, in Kota Kinabalu, during which the participants held blank papers. “Friends in the police warned us that we can’t speak up on certain things. So, that’s why we held black papers in protest against such restrictions.”

“We have the right to speak up on Sabah rights. If we don’t have the right to speak up, even in the social media, the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Commission should close down.”

The Sabah Independence Day celebrations on August 31 to be held in Kundasang this year by the party, added Yong, would stress that independence began in 1963 and not 1957. “In the case of Sarawak, independence came on 22 July 1963 and they observed the anniversary last month for the second time since 1963.”

“The Federal Government should start counting the Federation with Sabah and Sarawak as beginning from 1963 and not from 1957, the Independence Day for the peninsula, or even from 1948 when the Federation of Malaya Agreement was signed in London.”

The history of the Federation in 1963, charged Yong, was being ignored or down-played by the Federal Government as evident in school text books. “We cannot forget out history. We need to educate the Gen-Y so that they will know their true history, not the one put out by Putrajaya.”

Yong, delving into the history since 1963, lamented that the status of Sabah and Sarawak had diminished since Singapore’s departure in 1965 from being equal partners of Malaya incorporating Singapore, to the 12th and 13th states in the Federation. “There has been very little public education on Sabah and Sarawak’s real status in the Federation.”

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/08/10/sapp-to-educate-gen-y-on-sabahs-true-history/

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Jeffrey: S’pore abandoned Sabah and Sarawak

The two Borneo nations need to wake up from their trance-like state induced by Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN).

KOTA KINABALU: Bingkor assemblyman and longtime rights activist Jeffrey Kitingan has mixed feelings on the 50th Anniversary of Singapore ending its merger with Malaya and exiting the Federation with the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak. “When I asked the late Lee Kuan Yew once what his greatest regret was in relation to Sabah and Sarawak, he hung his head, and tears rolled down his face. He was so choked with emotion and regret that he could not speak.”

“Sabahans and Sarawakians need to wake up from their trance-like state induced by Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN) and their links with the peninsula where the Federal Government has refused to comply with the Malaysia Agreement 1963.”

While extending greetings on the Golden Anniversary joy for Singapore, he can’t at the same time resist pointing out that the city state abandoned Sabah and Sarawak which facilitated its merger with Malaya through their Federation with the peninsula and the island. “Otherwise, multiracial Malaya refused to have Chinese-majority Singapore merge with it.”

“What might be the status of Sabah and Sarawak today had the two Borneo nations left the Federation in 1965 at the same time as Singapore?” asked Jeffrey on the road not taken. “Just as Lee Kuan Yew fought hard to persuade Sabah and Sarawak leaders to agree to Federation in 1963, Singapore should have fought equally hard for the two Borneo nations to leave the Federation at the same time as it left.”

Moving forward, said Jeffrey, it was clear that Sabah and Sarawak could no longer rely on Umno and Malaya and pointed out that Singapore’s success illustrated Malaysia’s failure. “If Singapore can do it, and Brunei can do well on its own by keeping out of the Federation at the 11th hour, Sabah and Sarawak can also do well if they stand on their own two feet.”

“The Singapore economy in GDP terms is larger than that of Malaysia, the currency almost RM3 to S$1, and it has the world’s third highest per capita income. All these were achieved in a tiny land area, without water or natural resources and without Umno and BN.”

The only thing going for Singapore was its strategic location, human resources, and its commitment to the brightest and best leading the way for all, added Jeffrey. “Sarawak today is better off than Sabah because it has no Umno.”

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/08/10/jeffrey-spore-abandoned-sabah-and-sarawak/

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Black Sunday 2.0

KOTA KINABALU, 10 Ogos 2015: Satu program aman yang bertemakan Black Sunday 2.0 telah dilakukan oleh Pemuda SAPP bagi tujuan kesedaran awal tentang Hari Kemerdekaan Sabah di Gaya Street pada hari Ahad.

Program ini memfokuskan kepada penyebaran kebenaran sejarah yang selama ini tidak diketahui oleh orang ramai khususnya bangsa Sabah.

Dengan berbekalkan bendera lama kerajaan Sabah yang dikibarkan pada tahun 1963 sehingga tahun 1982, poster yang berlakarkan gambar wajah Ketua Menteri Sabah yang Pertama, Tun Fuad Stephens dan Yang Di-Pertua Negara Sabah, Tun Mustapha telah digunakan untuk tujuan program kesedaran ini.

Menurut En.Dexter Chin yang merupakan setiausaha Penganjur Exco Pemuda SAPP, beliau mengatakan bahawa adalah sangat penting bagi orang ramai untuk memperingati sejarah bahawa Sabah adalah berstatus negara pada 31 Ogos 1963 sebelum membentuk Persekutuan Malaysia pada 16 September 1963.

Pembentukkan Persekutuan Malaysia adalah berdasarkan kepada konsep Rakan Kongsi Empat Negara yang terdiri daripada Negara Sabah (dahulu dikenali sebagai North Borneo), Negara Sarawak, Negara Singapura dan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malaya). Namun, pada 9 Ogos 1965, Singapura telah keluar daripada Persekutuan dan meninggalkan dua negara Borneo ini bersendirian dengan Malaya. Lantas itu, konsep Persekutuan telah diubah dengan penurunan status Sabah sebagai sebuah negara dan rakan kongsi telah diturunkan oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan Malaysia pada 27 Ogos 1976.

Beliau mengulas dengan lebih lanjut lagi dengan menambahkan bahawa apapun yang telah terjadi, Sabah dan Sarawak masih mempunyai kuasa autonomi dalam mengendalikan hal-ehwal kerajaan tempatan. Semuanya in telah termaktub didalam Perjanjian Malaysia dan ia mesti dihormati oleh kerajaan persekutuan. Autonomi penuh perlu diberikan kepada Sabah agar kelancaran didalam pentadbiran dapat dicapai bagi kepentingan kerajaan tempatan dan rakyat Sabah.

Kenyataan Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi yang merupakan Menteri Kementerian Dalam Negeri (kini Timbalan Perdana Menteri) tentang larangannya kepada rakyat Sabah untuk tidak mempersoalkan isu pendatang asing merupakan satu penghinaan kepada rakyat Sabah. Ini kerana kuasa imigresen sebenarnya merupakan kuasa kerajaan Sabah dan ia telah termaktub didalam 20 Perkara. Selain Imigresen, kuasa mengurus Pendidikan dan Ekonomi Sabah juga adalah antara kuasa yang dimiliki oleh Kerajaan Sabah. Namun, kesemua ini tidak dihormati oleh kerajaan persekutuan, tegas En.Dexter Chin.

Justeru, adalah sangat penting untuk setiap rakyat Sabah untuk bersama-sama berjuang untuk menuntut hak Sabah seperti yang telah termaktub didalam Perjanjian Malaysia.

Sepanjang program dijalankan, terdapat sedikit kekecohan dan ketegangan yang telah berlaku. Pihak polis telah mengganggu program tersebut dan ingin merampas bendera Sabah yang dipegang oleh peserta program sehinggakan peserta program tersebut jatuh kerana ditolak oleh pihak polis dengan kasar.

Salah seorang peserta program telah membawa dan mengibarkan bendera Sarawak yang telah dikibarkan pada tahun 1963 sehingga tahun 1973.

Seramai 30 orang peserta telah menjayakan program aman dan dua NGO telah memberikan sokongan kepada program tersebut. NGO yang terlibat ialah Sabah Solidariti dan Sabah Sarawak Union - United Kingdom (SSU-UK).

Turut hadir bersama dalam program tersebut adalah Ketua Pemuda Exco SAPP Jamain Shamarudin, Naib Ketua Pemuda SAPP Stephan Gaimin, Naib Ketua Pemuda SAPP Yong Yit Yoong.

Source: Bobohizan Press

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The Proclamation of Singapore as Independence Country in 1965

The Proclamation of Singapore that announced Singapore's separation from Malaysia on 9 August 1965 was drafted by Mr E W Barker, then Minister for Law. He was also responsible for drafting two other related documents, namely: an Amendment relating to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia as an independent and sovereign state, and an Act to amend the Constitution of Malaysia and the Malaysia Act to give Singapore independence.

PM Lee Kuan Yew entrusted Mr E W Barker with the job of drafting the documents in mid-July 1965 after he received news that the Federal Cabinet had agreed with Tunku Abdul Rahman that Singapore should separate from Malaysia. After several rounds of negotiations between the Singapore government represented by Mr Lee and Dr Goh Keng Swee, Minister of Finance, and the Malaysian government represented by Tunku, Tun Abdul Razak, Deputy Prime Minister, Dato Ismail bin Dato Abdul Rahman, Home Affairs Minister and Tun Tan Siew Sin, Finance Minister, the abovementioned documents were eventually finalised on 7 August.

"Every time I look at these Agreements, I'm happy, I have a sense of pride, having contributed to a major change - the separation of Singapore from Malaysia. I was able to draft these documents then in a short time because I had just left the Bar, in fact, nine months before that. I had been in practice for 14 years and had a lot of experience. Hence, I was able to do it." 

Extract of oral history interview with Mr E W Barker, 1982.

Information extracted from the oral history interview of Mr E W Barker, Accession No: 000193

Proclamation of Singapore that Mr E W Barker 

drafted was signed by Mr Lee on 9 August 1965. 

1. Lee Kuan Yew, The Singapore Story: Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore: Times Editions Pte Ltd and Singapore Press Holdings, 1998), pp. 631-632.
   
   
2. Leslie Fong, "The Week Before Separation", in Singapore 25 Years: A Straits Times Special, National Day, 9 Aug 1990, ed. Leslie Fong (Singapore: Straits Times Press, 1990), pp. 5-10 and Lee, The Singapore Story, pp. 628-647.

Source: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/article/proclamation-of-singapore

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Konspirasi Pengkhianatan dan Pembunuhan

Mungkin ada yang takut untuk membuka mulut dan untuk sebab itu, biar pihak kami yang berbicara. Sila lihat gambar ini. Keempat-empat mereka merupakan sahabat baik dan dikatakan sebagai abang dan adik. Mereka juga pejuang Kebangsaan Negara Sabah. malaya tidak mampu mengganggu bangsa Negara Sabah secara langsung. Apatah lagi minyak dan gas. Walaupun mereka digunakan untuk menumbangkan Tun Mustapha kerana keengganannya untuk menyerahkan minyak, apabila mereka memegang kerajaan, mereka juga sedar sebab-sebab apa Tun Mustapha tidak mahu menyerahkan minyak tersebut.

Komplot untuk menghapuskan Pejuang-pejuang ini telah dilakukan atas kesepakatan malaya dan barua (pengkhianat) bangsa negara Sabah iaitu harris salleh.

Selepas misi konspirasi pembunuhan berjaya dilakukan dengan cara "semula jadi (konon)" tetapi yang sebenarnya, bom telah dipasang dan meletup diudara sebelum mendarat (BUKAN terhempas), harris salleh telah menjadi Ketua Menteri, dia telah menyerahkan hak minyak & gas 2 minggu selepas kejadian tersebut tanpa membawa hal ini kepada perbincangan kabinet menteri Sabah. Selepas itu, dia juga telah bersetuju menurunkan status "Negara" kepada "negeri". Dia juga dalang perlaksanaan Dasar Kabotaj yang menyebabkan peningkatan harga kos hidup di Negara Sabah sehingga membantutkan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang jelas hanya menguntungkan pelabuhan malaya. Dan orang ini juga dalang disebalik projek IC.

"Harris later admitted that he found himself being pushed around by the federal government and he was too young to stand up against the its demands. However, if Tun Fuad was still alive, he may be able to stand up against it because he was more senior and had the respect of the federal government."

Mengapa orang ini masih hidup sehingga sekarang? Sebab ada sesuatu yang bakal disaksikannya nanti iaitu penghukuman terhadapnya. Keadilan akan dilakukan terhadap mangsa tragedi Double Six.

Sebarkan info ini.

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Zahid warns ‘disruptive elements’ from breaking Putrajaya-Sarawak ties

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has warned what he described as "disruptive elements" from attempting to split the good relationship Putrajaya has with Sarawak and the relationship the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has with Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

The deputy prime minister, on his first official visit to the state since his ministerial elevation 10 days ago, did not name who the disruptive elements are.

Zahid, who is also home minister, said he would use all his powers as the home minister to thwart all attempts at creating a division.

"If there are any groups or individuals who try to divide us, the home ministry will use its full might to break up the attempts," he said at the Hari Raya gathering at the Stadium Perpaduan in Kuching, organised by Rela.

"We won't let anyone come between Kuala Lumpur (Putrajaya) and Sarawak."

The prime minister enjoys a good relationship with Adenan after the Sarawak chief minister gave his undivided support to the embattled prime minister in his two visits to the state in June.

Najib, then under pressure from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to step down, said he could now better sleep at night with such support.

Zahid said he would also emulate the prime minister by making frequent visits to the state, particularly to the rural areas.

"I was a village boy who used to play in the mud and grew up in a house without electricity.

"I will come to Sarawak more often and I will not come empty-handed," he said.

"There will be something for the rural people." – August 7, 2015.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/zahid-warns-disruptive-elements-from-breaking-putrajaya-sarawak-ties?ref=yfp#sthash.vft2XwBc.dpuf

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Secession a right of any state that joined Malaysia voluntarily, says Sabah politician

It is not seditious for Sabah and Sarawak nationalists to call for secession from Malaysia if the agreements that formed the country in 1963 are not honoured, Sabah opposition politician, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said.

The Bingkor assemblyman, who is chairman of the Sabah STAR party, said the people of these two Borneo states which formed Malaysia with Malaya had been "taken for a ride and cheated outright" despite the Malaysia Agreement as the peninsula depended on these two states for political support and oil wealth.

"If the federal leaders care to listen, Sabah and Sarawak nationalists and activists are not seeking secession but restoration of the legitimate rights, privileges and autonomy of the Borneo states that were taken away or eroded since 1963.

"There was a basis that led to the formation of Malaysia and if that basis is not honoured, one of the lawful and legal recourse would be a de-merger or dissolution. In such an event, it is not secession," Kitingan said in a statement today.

The opposition politician has long campaigned against the Barisan Nasional federal government over issues of oil royalty, freedom of religion, alleged Islamisation of Sabah institutions and the local people as well as immigration which have change the demographic of the state's population.

Kitingan said secession was a legal right of a state if it had voluntarily entered a federation, citing Lord Landsdowne who had chaired the Inter Governmental Committee which had studied the proposed formation of Malaysia in 1962.

Because a state had this "intrinsic" right, it was "unnecessary to include it in the constitution", Landsdowne had said, quoted Kitingan.

"If secession is seditious and against the constitution, why was Singapore allowed secession in 1965? Shouldn't the Singapore leaders then be charged for sedition?" Kitingan added, noting that the federal government then had even signed a departure agreement with Singapore.

Kitingan also noted that "nowhere is it stated in the Federal Constitution that Sabah and Sarawak are not allowed to secede".

The federal government's decision to retain the Sedition Act and plans to make calling for Sabah and Sarawak's secession a criminal offence was a "huge mistake", he added.

But he welcomed threats to arrest and charge Sabah or Sarawak activists for sedition for making such calls, as prosecution would reveal "dark secrets and wrongdoings" against the people of both states.

Criminalising calls for Sabah and Sarawak to leave Malaysia, Kitingan said, would "mark the beginning of the end and break-up of the Malaysian federation". – February 1, 2015.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/secession-a-right-of-any-state-says-sabah-opposition-politician#sthash.4zvVa5ww.dpuf

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Flashlight: Jessie and Billance Duet.

KOTA KINABALU, 6 Ogos 2015: Seorang anak kelahiran bangsa Negara Sabah yang berasal daripada Kota Kinabalu yang bernama Billance Fung Chee Von dan merupakan etnik Sino Kadazan telah menarik perhatian warga Facebook setelah rakaman videonya yang berduet dengan seorang penyanyi terkenal yang bernama Jessie J dengan lagu Flashlight dikongsikan kepada umum melalui profil akaun "Facebook" peribadinya.

Video tersebut telah mendapat sambutan yang hangat setelah dikongsikan disebuah Page Facebook yang bernama The Future of Sabah/Sarawak and the Federation of Malaysia" dan telah mencatat jumlah "share" yang telah mencecah 2,136  dan "Like" sebanyak 1,654. Manakala, jumlah rekod "share" di akaun peribadinya mencatat sebanyak 680 dan "Like" dalam 1,272.

Menurut beliau,  "rakaman tersebut dilakukan secara "duet" bersama dengan penyanyi Jessie J tetapi bukan secara live. Ia menggunakan aplikasi "Sing! Karaoke by Smule" dan sesiapa juga boleh melakukannya."

"Tiada sebarang latihan khusus. Saya hanya menyanyikannya "for fun" sahaja. Terdapat banyak pilihan lagu sama ada "single, duet or group" yang tersedia dalam aplikasi tersebut. Apa yang perlu dilakukan adalah dengan hanya perlu memilih salah satu lagu berkenaan untuk dinyanyikan", ujarnya.

Respon daripada warga Facebook yang rata-ratanya berasal daripada negara Sabah dan negara Sarawak memberikan pujian dan pengiktirafan terhadap kemerduan suara beliau. Malah ada sejumlah ramai wanita dan juga lelaki telah terpikat dan jatuh hati dengannya setelah mendengar lagu duet beliau itu. Ini ditambahkan lagi dengan kekacakannya telah menjadi faktor kepada minat terhadapnya.

Difahamkan bahawa beliau adalah seorang Jurutera Proses (Process Engineer) yang bekerja di Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

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Seven months on, Sabah cops admit Doris Jones arrest warrant only enforceable in Malaysia

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 5 – Sabah police conceded today that the arrest warrant for UK-based Sabah secessionist Doris Jones obtained nearly seven months ago can only be enforced should she choose to return to Malaysia.

State police commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said that the warrant of arrest, issued on January 16 this year, put Jones on the police’s wanted list for sedition but its powers was limited within the country.

“The warrant of arrest still stands. But in Malaysia. We can take action as soon as she comes here,” said Jalaluddin.

In February, Jalaluddin announced that police had issued the warrant for Doris Yapp Kim Young, 45, with a last known address in Labuan for offences under the Sedition Act.

Jones is believed to be behind a Facebook page “Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia” which aims to promote awareness of Sabah and Sarawak rights within Malaysia and controversially also promotes discourse on secession.

Jalaluddin was previously reported as saying the local police would seek Interpol’s help in locating her but in Britain, where she is believed to be residing, the crime she is alleged to have committed is not recognised.

Jones has repeatedly denied being contacted by authorities or Interpol in the UK and yesterday, wrote on her Facebook account that she “has been waiting since last year” to be served.

Yesterday, a warrant of arrest was issued to founder and editor of whistleblower site Sarawak Report, Clare Rewcastle-Brown for activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.

The Sarawak Report website was blocked in Malaysia last month for posing a “threat to national stability” after posting reports that Najib had up to RM2.6 billion deposited into his personal accounts.

Lawyers have dubbed the warrant of arrest on Rewcastle-Brown as futile because of its limitations within Malaysia.

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/seven-months-on-sabah-cops-admit-doris-jones-arrest-warrant-only-enforceabl#sthash.6xBXdqTz.dWwtquji.dpuf

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