What Sarawak Independence Day means to me

 

When it comes to July 22, Sarawakians have the late chief minister, Adenan Satem, to thank for. In 2016, Adenan declared July 22 as Sarawak’s Independence Day.

I don’t think it’s fair to write about July 22 without mentioning Adenan and crediting him for giving the date its significance and due recognition. The day was also gazetted as a public holiday in Sarawak.

Sarawakians also gave credit to their much-loved chief minister for earning the reverence and respect of Malayan leaders, including then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak. This cordial relationship between Adenan and Najib had enabled both leaders to successfully focus on projects which benefitted Sarawak and its people.

The claim that Najib is possibly the prime minister who had done the most for Sarawak – visited Sarawak most often and given Sarawak the most funds – was probably correct.

Adenan had demanded greater devolution, including higher royalties for the state’s oil and gas resources. He had also consistently complained that the powers of the resource-rich Sarawak have eroded since it joined Malaysia.

Najib had been most obliging with Adenan’s requests throughout his short tenure of two years and 10 months as Sarawak’s fifth chief minister. This was the key pointer as to how Adenan was able to do so much as CM is so short a time.

Today is the sixth year Sarawak is commemorating its Independence Day. What does July 22 mean to me?

In 2019, I had written ‘Why July 22 holds little meaning for me’. Four years later, let me be brutally honest again and declare that July 22 means nothing to me. Today is just another day.

Why do I say so? Because I do not see Sarawak as an independent nation today. From a colony of Britain, Sarawak became a colony of Malaya. How do you call that independence? I honestly don’t.

Today, many Sarawakians are asking the same question. Is Sarawak truly independent? The answers vary, depending on who you asked and probably on his or her level of patriotism and political leaning.

I also consider last December’s amendments to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) superficial. Oh yes, Sarawak is now one of three equal partners in Malaysia. It is no longer one of 13 states. So what’s the big deal?

Let me just pose this: Will Sarawak get an equal share of the 222 parliamentary seats, i.e. one-third or 74 seats? Right now, Sarawak has only 31 seats.

Well, it’s good to hear Sarawak deputy minister Sharifah Hasidah Syeed Aman Ghazali stating that Sarawak would continue to demand one-third of the country’s total parliamentary seats as enshrined in MA63. So far, nothing has happened.

Honestly, I do not see much hope of anything happening at all with the current political uncertainties. We have a prime minister who is under intense pressure from all fronts, so much so that he seemed low, lonely and lost.

As long as federal leaders are corrupt, incompetent, indiscipline and treading on the dreaded racial and religious fervour, they will drag Sarawak into the cesspit.

Today, let me declare that as my greatest fear – the fear of a Sarawakian. Five years from now, say by the time we hold GE16 in 2027-28, just watch with bated breath as to how many unexpected and unwarranted incidents had unfolded by then.

Has it not been said that bad things happen in life to teach us how to look at good things in a whole new light?

‘Autonomous’ crumbs

So, what can we do? Sarawak must not be a mere passenger in Malaysia, hanging on to a few ‘autonomous’ crumbs and feeling proud and happy with such meagre concessions.

After GE15, whoever is elected into power in Putrajaya, I feel that Sarawak has to operate like a separate territory (autonomous region) moving forward over the next five years, paving the way for real independence, if possible.

Eventually, real independence has to happen, sooner than later.

I have no intention to dampen anyone’s celebratory mood today. Yes, let’s be happy today, not only because we have been told it’s Sarawak Independence Day, but because it’s another day the One Above has allowed us to witness.

But let me say this too. I’m glad that many Sarawakians are happily celebrating July 22 as Sarawak Independence Day. A grand Independence Day rally will be held in Sibu today with all the cabinet members in attendance.

Early this morning, I was glad to receive a special Sarawak Day video from Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian. As a senior leader, it is his responsibility to help rally Sarawakians to stay united and ensure stability for rapid development and progress to take place. In that light, Sim has done well as a leader of the Chinese community in Sarawak.

Sim also posted in Facebook the Sarawak Day Ecumenical Prayer Service 2022 staged by the Association of Churches in Sarawak yesterday.

Held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre in Kuching, the deputy premier wrote that “we come together although we are from different faith and everyone pray in their own way”.

This is why we, in Sarawak, can count our blessings every day for the tolerance and harmony among our people of varied cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, Sim added.

Meanwhile, a special musical theatre for Sarawak Day will be performed at the Sibu Indoor Stadium today.

Its director, Syafaat Zainal Abidin, said the musical would inspire and instil patriotism as “we want the young generation to appreciate the history and know the past leaders who had contributed a lot to Sarawak”.

To my fellow Sarawakians, enjoy the day for what it is. It’s a holiday anyway, so have a good break.

For me, every year when July 22 comes around, the question “Is Sarawak truly independent” inevitably crops up. Well, what do you think? - Mkini

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.