KOTA KINABALU: Veteran Sabah politician Mohd Noor Mansoor has issued a challenge to state leaders to “act more boldly and immediately” to realise the dream of gazetting Sabah Day, which commemorates the state’s independence on Aug 31, 1963.
“If Sarawak can proudly celebrate July 22 every year since 2016 as Sarawak Day, why can’t we have Sabah Day?” he said in a statement here today to mark the 58th Sabah Day celebration yesterday.
The celebration was streamed live online from the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) headquarters here.
Some 300 participants comprising leaders and members from SAPP and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) took part in the virtual event, joined by activists and NGOs.
In July, deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also STAR president, said Sabah Day could be observed as an official celebration for the first time next year.
He said he had prepared a Cabinet paper to gazette Sabah Day, which has been one of the main annual celebrations for his party.
Meanwhile, Mohd Noor, a former finance minister under the Berjaya government, also reminded the participants that Malaysia was only formed 58 years ago on Sept 16, 1963.
Recalling the events that took place on Aug 31, 1963, he said the then North Borneo (Sabah) governor William Goode had issued a statement regarding Sabah Day, self-governance and the independence of Sabah from British rule.
Kitingan, in a recorded speech, said it was time for Sabah to achieve self-government status.
He was also highly optimistic that Sabah Day would be gazetted and become the state’s official celebration next year.
“This will open the door to more opportunities for Sabah in the future, and elevate Sabah’s status,” he said.
He added that chief minister Hajiji Noor and other Sabah Cabinet members had also “basically agreed” with the proposed gazetting of Sabah Day as an official state celebration.
Kitingan said the proposal paper was being finalised and would be tabled in the Cabinet for further action.
SAPP president Yong Teck Lee said he had high hopes and confidence that Sabah Day would become a reality.
The former chief minister also expressed excitement over the positive reaction among Sabahans, corporate bodies and political leaders who have started tagging #SabahDay in their social media.
“Hopefully, we will be able to celebrate it on a large scale throughout Sabah,” he added.
He also called on activists to continue their efforts in educating the community on the history of Sabah and work hard to promote Sabah Day. - FMT
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