The true 'National Day is Sept 16, according to Sabah opposition STAR as that was when Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya committed themselves to a 'common identity.
RANAU: The federal government should stop duping Sabah and Sarawak into celebrating Merdeka Day when the 55th anniversary had “no relevance” to the two states, STAR Sabah chairman Jeffrey Kitingan said.
“How can these leaders continue to twist history to suit their political interests without considering our feelings and the truth?
“How could they [federal government] insist we must celebrate Malayan independence which has no relevance to Sabah and Sarawak?” asked Kitingan when launching STAR’s Kundasang zone in Pinampadan near here.
He said what was important and relevant to Sabah and Sarawak is their own independence – July 22, 1963 for Sarawak and Aug 31, 1963 for Sabah – and that of Malaysia Day or the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963.
“This date – Sept 16, 1963 – is the true ‘National Day’ that gives all three territories of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak, a common identity as Malaysians”, said Jeffrey.
He said that by continuing to impose Malaya’s version of history on Sabahans and Sarawakians, “the government is alienating the two territories”.
“By insisting that Malaysia is 55 years old now and not 49, the federal government is sending the wrong message to the people.
“Firstly, what the government is doing is teaching the people how to lie and manipulate the facts of history.
“Secondly, the Peninsula-controlled federal government is now telling Sabahans and Sarawakians [intentionally or not] that Malaysia was nothing more than a ‘takeover’ project for Malaya and that Sabah and Sarawak are now Malayan states/territories so they [Sabah and Sarawak] must now adopt Malayan historical independence,” he said.
Jeffrey, who is expected to take on his elder brother Joseph Pairin, the president of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), a Barisan Nasional member, for the Keningau parliamentary seat in the coming general election, also described the BN’s Janji diTepati (Promise Fulfilled) as an empty slogan.
“If this was indeed Malaya’s real intention, then those promises, assurances, undertakings and persuasions by Tunku Abdul Rahman and other Malayan leaders were all lies or Janji Terang Bulan.”
“And if they were mere Janji Terang Bulan, then the slogan Janji diTepati is an empty and hollow slogan as far as Sabah and Sarawak are concerned.
“If we Sabah and Sarawak have been cheated, we have to stop all this nonsense and start putting things right,” added Jeffrey.
Selamat menyambut hari kemerdekaan yang ke 55 tahun untuk Negara kita Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteYang penting kita hidup aman damai, ok lah tu kan.
ReplyDeleteWalau bagaimanapun, hal ini haruslah dijelaskan supaya tidak menyebabkan kekeliruan yang berpanjangan.
ReplyDeletehayati kemerdekaan kita. sambutlah merdeka dgn penuh semangat. jaga keharmonian negara kita.
ReplyDeletethe Prime Minister said the BN government chose “Janji Ditepati” for this year’s Merdeka Day theme because it has fulfilled what it promised to the people unlike the opposition which had a long list of promises that were never fulfilled.
ReplyDeletePenang state government for example, promised to build a low cost apartment but in the end it was the BN government that implemented the project.
ReplyDeleteinilah kenyataan pemimpin politik yang paling tidak masuk akal.. sudah namanya kemerdekaan MALAYSIA, sudah tentulah guna 55 tahun.. takan 49 tahun.. kalau guna 49 tahun, bagaimana dengan negeri2 yang lebih awal menyambut keerdekaan?
ReplyDeletekalau Sabah sebuah negara, layaklah guna 49 tahun..
ReplyDeleteThe people's participation, spirit and support for programmes carried out by the government in conjunction with the 55th Merdeka Day celebrations, themed 'Promises Fulfilled', was impressive, despite attempts by the opposition-ruled states to change the theme, logo and song for the celebrations, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
ReplyDelete"The Barisan Nasional government's efforts were a success, with more than 150,000 people, especially the younger generation, attending the celebrations and parade at Dataran Merdeka and the Bukit Jalil Stadium," he said in response to a question from Datuk Halimah Mohd Sadique (BN-Tenggara).
ReplyDeleteHalimah had wanted to know the extent of the people's acceptance of the theme, 'Promises Fulfilled', for this year's Merdeka Day celebration.
ReplyDeleteRais said the theme was selected for this year's Merdeka Day celebration to, among others, highlight the historical perspective of the country's independence and the government's commitment to develop the country and take care of the people's well-being.
ReplyDeleteInformation, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the show of support by the people of all ages and walks of life was gauged through feedback obtained from their participation and support for programmes implemented at the national and state levels.
ReplyDeleteHe said the Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day celebrations had established an inseparable relationship between the people and the government, and the people and the country.
ReplyDeleteThe ministry had utilised RM5.4 million of its allocation for the programmes, leaving a balance of RM1.7 million, he added.
ReplyDelete