Adenan vows no secession, Malaysia now and forever

Sarawak CM declares equal status with Malaya in forming, not joining, Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak has no plans to separate from Malaysia and never will, the state’s Chief Minister, Adenan Satem, declared today.

He said the question should never have arisen, and urged all Sarawakians not to think of parting from Malaysia.

“Looking at the circumstances 50 years ago, we had no choice but to join Malaysia,” he said.

“There will never be secession from Malaysia. Malaysia before, Malaysia now, Malaysia forever,” he said in a speech at the Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak event at Putra World Trade Centre here today, which was attended by thousands of Sarawakians studying and living in the city.

Adenan also reminded the Federal Government of Sarawak’s 18 points pre-federation agreement and stressed that the state should be given what was promised.

The Federal Government should live up to the agreement that Sarawak and Sabah would have more autonomy compared to other states.

“The agreement to form Malaysia was made between Tanah Melayu (Malaya), North Borneo (Sabah), Singapore and Sarawak. So Sarawak did not join Malaysia because there was no Malaysia before.

“In forming Malaysia, there were several rules made, which are the Sarawak 18 points and Sabah’s 20 points.

“So we want back our autonomy that was taken by the Federal Government,” he added.

In 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia and there have been some questions raised regarding the validity of the Malaysia Agreement, Adenan noted.

“The agreement is still valid because the parties in the agreement individually agreed with the rest to form the federation. So although Singapore left, the federation is still there, unless all parties left.”