Wan Junaidi talking “nonsense”, say Sarawakian reps on issue of questioning Malaysia agreement

Three opposition assemblymen in Sarawak today reacted angrily to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar's warning to stop raising the Malaysia Agreement issue as calls for a review could be considered "treasonous" and "seditious"

Wan Junaidi had said the 18-point (for Sarawak) and 20-point (for Sabah) agreements “were signed and agreed upon 50 years ago by leaders and, therefore, there was no point in raising the matter again”.

State DAP chief and Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen (pic) described the warning as “absolutely absurd”, PKR's Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How called it “nonsense” while Sarawak Workers Party sole assemblyman George Lagong (Pelagus) asked, "if we cannot discuss it, then who can"?

"There is nothing seditious about raising the Malaysia Agreement. If Wan Junaidi does not allow Malaysians to talk about the Malaysia Agreement, then he is not fit to be a Sarawakian, or a Malaysian,” Chong added.

"He is forgetting his roots and forgetting Malaysian history."

Chong, said the roots of Malaysia, Malaysian nationality and citizenship came from the very agreement.

"It is absolutely absurd to say that talking about the Malaysia Agreement is equivalent to causing disunity or being treasonous.

"The policies and the actions of the BN are the cause of disunity and unrest," Chong said in retort to Wan Junaidi's claim that raising the Malaysia Agreement issue could “disrupt unity between West Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak”.

See said dragging the people to court for trying to raise the issue “is all nonsense that would not stand the test of the court”.

He pointed out that because Sabah and Sarawak are parties to the Agreement, Sabahans and Sarawakians therefore have the right to review the Agreement at any time.

“They don't have to wait 10 years. You can have it any time.”

See even went further by saying that if the government is liberal, it would allow a referendum to be held.

“We are talking about democracy here. Let them have a referendum. That is the way to respond.”

He said the government should allow discussions on the Agreement to convince them this is a country for all of them.

Lagong, a first-term lawmaker, asked Wan Junaidi if the call for review of the Agreement, for example, is only the purview of politicians from the ruling coalition to discuss.

“What about the ordinary people, people in the streets? Are they not stakeholders in this country called Malaysia?”

“Can't they raise the issue and ask?”