Lina Soo: We must rely on ourselves to restore our rights back, can't depend on Malayan parties

 By Adele James

KUCHING, July 18, 2017 - Rights advocate Lina Soo said that Sarawakians cannot rely on Malayan opposition parties for support in demanding for the restoration of the state's rights which have been eroded over the years.

Lina Soo holding the Sarawak flag at the press conference: Don't expect the Malayan opposition parties to support Sarawak in demanding for the rights' restoration.

She said the Malayan opposition parties did not raise any objection when the federal government amended Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution that downgraded Sarawak's status from one of equal partner to Malaya to one of the states in Malaysia.

"(From the official parliament record), Lim Kit Siang, Lee Lam Thye and Chen Man Hin, failed to speak against the amendments to Article 1(2) in 1976," she said.

Soo said another example of the failure of the Malayan opposition parties  to object was when the Territorial Sea Act was tabled in parliament in 2012.

She said this Act reduced the limit of Sarawak territorial waters to three nautical miles from 12 nautical miles.

Soo said the reduction deprived Sarawak of its resources, like oil and gas, to fall into the hands of the federal government.

"Whether the Malayan parties are from Barisan Nasional or the opposition, they are all the same - fighting for the Malayan agenda at the expense of Sarawak and its people," she said.

Soo also slammed the Malayan opposition parties and critics for opposing the legal team's mission to London to research and study references on historical documents related to Sarawak in the formation of Malaysia.

"The trip is very important and it is for the future of Sarawak and it is not a waste of money as claimed by the opposition politicians," she said.

She said the trip concerns the future of all Sarawakians and our children.

"Those who opposed the trip have never been to the British National Archives as all our history is hidden there," she said.

Soo said the British ate very good because whenever they do things, they always record it down in the form of minutes.

"After 30 years, they released these documents or declassified these documents related to Sarawak," she said, adding:"I have been there for a month and that is why I know and came back writing this book (Sarawak Chronicle) containing letters, agreements, laws and international treaties."

Soo said the Malayan parties do not have the information on the role of Sarawak in the formation of Malaysia because they have the Malayan agenda.

"They fear that Sarawak and Sabah have equal rights and equal partners to Malaya. Sarawak and Sabah should not be among the states in Malaysia, but as equal partners to Malaya," she said.

Soo said that the fact-finding mission trip is justified and necessary if the team carries out its forensic mission with professionalism and scrutinise all available documents pertaining to the formation of Malaysia.

"In 1962, the Greater Malaysia Scheme was accelerated into a "crash programme" despite the British government's admission that all the three Borneo territories, namely Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei, were unprepared and incapable of entering into merger with Malaya which had already been Independent since 1957," she said.

Meanwhile, Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) will hold a public talk in Sibu on July 22 in conjunction with Sarawak Day celebration.

The talk will be held at Paramount Hotel starting from 1.30pm.

Soo will speak on "Sarawak secrets from the British documents" based upon her month-long research at the British National Archives in London.

The others who will speak are academician and Cambridge-trained social anthropologist Dr Awang Hasmadi Awang Mois, on "Cultural and religious factors in nation building" while senior lawyer Patrick Anek Uren will touch on "Malaysia Agreement 1963 and income disequilibrium between Malaya and Sarawak".

Activist  Dzulfiqar Yeu will speak on "Decolonisation and self-determination" while activist Jarau Ajan of Pertubuhan Anak Dayak Sarawak will address the audience.

"If you want to know about the constitutional history and the formation of Malaysia, please attend the talk," Soo said.