By Panglima Peter John Jaban
Sarawak made history on Wednesday. There are lots of different reports of the
numbers who came, from a laughable 1,000 in Bernama up to an impressive 10,000,
but one thing is clear: many Sarawakians turned out to celebrate 22 July
2015.
They took time off work, they paid
their own travel expenses, they braved warnings from the Inspector General of
Police to come and express their love of Sarawak and their support for the
demands of the day. I salute them!
They are the heroes, not me. I’m just a
whistleblower. Thousands of people stood
in the burning sun to wave their flags and enjoy Sarawak Day in fun, hope and
harmony. There was not one report of
trouble or disagreement in the whole day.
All of Sarawak should be proud.
We are Sarawakian!
First, we should be proud of our local police. They showed how proper community policing
should be done. We made our request and
they gave us their conditions. Through
dialogue, negotiation and cooperation, we came to a solution that allowed the
event to proceed with civil liberties respected and the public protected.
The Sarawak Police engaged with the community
and did not resort to vague, last minute warnings of some phantom problems
given long after it was too late to change anything. Their concerns were raised at an appropriate
time and in an appropriate way. We
Sarawakians thank the Sarawak police and we believe that we have proven this
strategy to be the correct one to maintain harmony.
But, this is where the discussion after the event has
become difficult.
The Chief Minister stated that Sarawak will
remain a part of Malaysia. But the
authorities want to know who S4S are, what they want and whether they are
asking for cession. If so, they will be arrested. I myself was interrogated on this for 6 hours
yesterday.
All we can say is that there
were no calls for cession during the event or anything close. Do some people in Sarawak want cession? I cannot speak for them but I am sure they
are out there and I believe it is their human right to hold their own opinion
on the matter.
However, for all of you who were not present yesterday,
the goal of the event was clear. We
celebrated Sarawak and we called for the protection of her position.
All we want is a fair deal for our state as promised to
us under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
We want control over our own resources, especially the
oil and gas, so that we can support our own development; we want control over
the education of our children so that they can get the same opportunities as
those across the South China Seas; we want control over our own borders so that
we can maintain our harmony; we want freedom to practice the religions of our
choice; we want the respect due to a founding partner in Malaysia.
This is the truth that we are trying to make clear. This is why 22 July is so important. We are a founding partner in Malaysia, not a
colony or an unimportant state. A lot
has been made of the history before and since yesterday’s event.
Many have stood up to criticize our interpretation – this
flag is wrong, that word ‘independence’ is wrong. Actually, it doesn’t really matter. This event is not about the past, but rather
it is about the present and the future.
The day is a symbol of Sarawak’s status and the event is a message. Those who spend too much time worrying about
the history will miss history in the making.
What is the message?
The message is that we have been ignored and overlooked
for too long in the grand scheme of the Malaysia plan. The message is to our own Wakil Rakyat that
they cannot afford sit back any longer.
They cannot sit in their aircon events while the public
sweat in the sun. Instead they must
fight for our rights. Finally, they
might be listening – SUPP, DAP, PKR, UPP, PRS, James Masing himself have all
come out supporting greater autonomy for Sarawak. That includes the Chief Minister
himself.
If I am seditious then so are
they. We do not need secession. But I
ask our Wakil Rakyat and Ministers to leave the UMNO-controlled BN coalition
and to stand for Sarawakians and not for them, as a new independent
Sarawak-based party.
The message is also to the Federal Government and if you
choose to ignore that message then who knows how many there will be in years to
come and what they will be asking for then.
The choice is yours – suppress us or address us, but you
must accept your role in the outcome.
So, who are S4S?
Even I cannot tell you. The IGP
is worrying about the details – they are not a registered entity. S4S is not an entity, registered or
otherwise. It is a feeling, it is a
belief, it is an idea. It is just the
same as ‘agi idup, agi ngelaban’.
How is it possible to register such a movement? The membership is the whole of Sarawak –
anyone who lives here, anyone who loves here.
If you feel as we do, buy a T-shirt, print one yourself, borrow one from
a friend. We do not control
anything. Hopefully next year, you will
be able to wear it on 22 July when we meet again, this time on a newly inaugurated
public holiday.
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