Sabah police bar procession

But the group of NGOs celebrating the 50th anniversary of Sabah's independence from the British continued their walk.

KOTA KINABALU : About 50 people failed to stage a four kilometer procession called the Independence Walk and Freedom Ride here today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sabah’s separation from the British on Aug 31 in 1963.

The group which consisted mostly members of the opposition State Reform Party (STAR) and activists with various NGOs as well as two members of another opposition party Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) were told by police not to proceed with their procession.

The main organiser of the walk was Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF). The original route was to start from Anjung Senja at the beachfront to the centre of Kota Kinabalu city, pass the High Court Building and Kampung Air till the convention hall at Star City.

Mostly clad in red shirts, they however managed to regroup at Asia City and displayed a celebratory banner as well as Sabah state flags, before proceeding under the close watch of policemen to Asia City Convention Hall, about 200 meters away, where they held a Independence Day Forum.

According to Jalumin Bayogoh, the organising chairman, even then, they were told by police not move in one big group but in smaller groups so as not to be seen as a procession.

“At one time the police warned us that our walking group appeared as “perarakan” (procession) and should not proceed.

“But we maintained that what he saw was only a “pergerakan” (movement) to the convention hall,” Bayogoh said.

He hoped that in future Sabah police would be more accommodating and understanding of the significance of the walk.

It was a stark contrast to the Sarawak Independence Walk organised by BHF in Kuching on 21 July, 2013 where not less than half a dozen of police outriders cleared and escorted the walk along a four kilometer route in the Sarawak state capital.

BHF chairman Jeffrey Kitingan who was present at the Kuching walk was absent as he is still away in London.

He is supposed to return today before flying to Palangkaraya, central Kalimantan via Jakarta where he would meet Dayak leaders from Borneo.