Meanwhile Majid Khan, who was Donald Stephen's special assistant in 1963 claimed Lee Kuan Yew had a "major influence" on Stephen and was against giving secession rights to states.
KOTA KINABALU : Former Sabah Chief Minister, Harris Salleh, said the “20 Points written on a full scape paper” in 1963 as safeguards for Sabah agreeing to commit to the formation of Malaysia is no longer relevant.
This, he said, is because the safeguards were now already incorporated in the Federal Constitution.
“To me the 20 Points is no more. It was just a 20 points written on a full scape paper, but of course later typed on a paper and proposed by various parties (to safeguard Sabah’s special autonomy when forming Malaysia),” he said.
Harris was presenting his views at the Formation of Malaysia – The Untold Story – a forum organised by the Sabah Society here yesterday evening.
Harris also told the 200-strong audience that he found it rather strange that then Sabah politicians put up the Point 7 which stated that Sabah should not have the right to secede from the Federation, when it should have been a federal clause and requirement.
The former Berjaya strongman also opined that there is nothing wrong with the system of Malaysia, arguing that what is wrong is when Sabah representatives do not speak up in Parliament or Cabinet meetings.
“If there is a problem, don’t blame the Federal, blame our own people representatives.
“Our representatives should speak in Parliament and Cabinet, and not talk about issues in coffee shops,” he said adding that Parliament is supreme in Malaysia as it could amend all laws, and that leaders in Malaya would listen if Sabah leaders speak on sensible matters.
He also recalled that former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysia’s former Foreign Minister, Ghazali Shafie, were the two strongest proponents of Malaysia’s formation 50 years ago.
“Without Lee Kuan Yew and Ghazali, there would have been no Malaysia,” said Harris who claimed he had already been 11 years serving under British civil service in then North Borneo when Malaysia was formed.
Another Sabahan speaker at the forum, Majid Khan Kalakhan, also shared Harris view on the 20 Points issue saying all terms had been incorporated in the Federal Constitution either under the State List or Concurrent matters.
“The 20 Points came from various political parties, and I think Donald Stephens, Mustapaha Harun, Khoo Siak Chiew, G S Sundang and Sedomon Gunsanad got the best deal with the Federal Constitution divided into three components – Federal List, State List and Concurrent List,” he said.
Federation of Borneo Territories
Majid who was Stephen’s assistant in 1963 but now is Malaysia’s ambassador to Iraq, revealed that Lee was the one against giving right to secede to states.
“I remember (Lee) Kuan Yew saying “this is not a Malay marriage, this is a Christian marriage, once you get married, you would be married together forever”.
“Smarter that he is, and intelligent he is, he forgot that the Federal Constitution had the provision to throw you (Singapore) out,” Majid said referring to Singapore being expelled from Malaysia in 1965 through a Parliament vote.
To this someone in the audience loudly said “that is a muslim marriage”, to which Majid retorted “in Muslim marriage you cannot divorce but the husband can divorce you”, to laughters from the floor.
Majid also opined that it was Lee who managed to convince Stephens of the Malaysia idea, towards which he was skeptical initially.
According to Majid, prior to Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-haj’s announcement of a proposal to form Malaysia on May 27, 1961 at the International Press Club in Singapore, Stephens, Sarawakian and Bruneian leaders were already half-way theough negotiations on a Federation of Borneo Territories.
“Before Tunku’s announcement, Donald (Stephens) called for a meeting at his house where Mustapha and others came discussing Federation of Borneo Terriotories, and later went to Kuching where the late Ong Kee Hui told Stephens he was behind time as effort for it is also already on-going in Sarawak.
“But due to Donald’s (Stephens) strong personality and being very charming, he went to lead, and in fact talked to A M Azhari of Brunei who told him that the Sultan of Brunei had even given blessing for such Borneo Federation.
But while Borneo leaders were on that negotiation table, Tunku suddenly announced in Singapore of Malaysia’s proposal to include Singapore, North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei and that he had secured British support for his proposal.
“I think, no, I know, Lee Kuan Yew had a major influence on Donald (Stephen subsequent supporting Malaysia idea),” Majid said.
Other speakers at the forum were former Federal Works Minister, Ghani Gilong and former Chief Minister of Sabah, Peter Lo.
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