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Wind of Change

Monday, December 15, 2008

Challenge legitimacy of Federation of Malaysia

Challenge legitimacy of Federation of Malaysia
Tanak Wagu | Dec 4, 08 4:04pm
I refer to the letter Must Sarawakians beg to be let into the banquet hall?
I read this letter and would like to echo its sentiments. Many Sabahans also feel the same way about being in Malaysia.

The Malaysia Agreement has been breached so many times but no one was arrested for questioning the special position of Sabah in the federation.

Recently, former Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) secretary Dr Chong Eng Leong claimed that the word ‘federation’ in the federal constitution is interpreted as one being formed in 1957.

Then I would like to ask what is the legitimacy of Sabah and Sarawak being in Malaysia. Sabah and Sarawak formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. In fact, the federal constitution does not even interpret Malaysia Day, despite mentioning it several times.

The Federation of Malaysia became illegal on the day Singapore was kicked out. Sabah and Sarawak would not have joined Malaysia if it was not for Singapore being in with us together. The Malaysia Agreement says that Singapore should be part of the federation.

When Singapore was kicked out, Malaya became the sole decision-maker in parliament. Prior to that, the seat distribution in parliament was 51 percent for Malaya and 49 percent for the three Ss (Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore).

The legitimacy of the Federation of Malaysia should be challenged in an international court of law. It is time for Sabahans to unite and voice out against unfair Malayan oppression. Sabahans in Malaysia are merely window dressing to attract tourists.

In reality, most Sabahans are underprivileged. They are discriminated in the federal service especially if they are not Muslims.

Mixed marriages between Muslims and Christians - which used to be common practise in Sabah - are now being made illegal by Malayan authorities through the National Registration Department (NRD).

Statues of non-Muslim gods and goddesses can be perceived illegal because they supposedly disturb ‘sensitivities’, a word imported from Malaya. Malaya has poisoned the minds of many Sabahans by harping on race and religion.

The only time Sabahans were truly united was in the early 1990s under the PBS. But this was only for a short while.

Once Umno was brought into Sabah, everything changed. Even in the recent general elections, Umno played on racial and religious sentiments to divide Sabahans.

Sabahans should unite once again. Most Sabahans are related to one another. Whether one is a Bajau, Bruneian, Kadazandusun, Kadayan, Murut, Chinese or Indian, everyone is Sabahan.

The kind of unity that we have in Sabah is unique and should be preserved before Umno totally destroys it.

Remember, Sabah for Sabahans!


Source : Letter to Editor (Malaysiakini)

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