KUCHING, Nov 17, 2016 - Sarawak 4 Sarawakians (S4S) group
is deeply disappointed by Chief Minister Adenan Satem’s statement yesterday
that he will not be tabling a motion in the State Assembly on November 21
calling for restitution of the State’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement
1963.
Peter John Jaban (second from right) with other S4S activists
Therefore, the group calls on him to stand by his promise
to the people of Sarawak to table this motion as it is a declaration of intent
by the State Government of their intention to pursue this goal, not just for
his tenure as chief minister but beyond.
That intention, the group feels, must be put on record to
ensure that the process is documented and therefore transparent, whether a
diplomatic solution is sought or not, as future events might dictate.
Peter John Jaban, spokesperson for the group, said: “The
Chief Minister’s primary responsibility is to the people of Sarawak who elected
him to office, and not to the Prime Minister.
He has made a statement and has now gone back on it, leaving many Sarawakians
disappointed, even angry.
"It is a simple fact of life that Adenan will not be
the chief minister forever. Neither will
Najib Razak be the Prime Minister forever.
This is why this process cannot be done in some kind of back room deal
on a spit and a handshake.
"The process must be cross party and must be
recorded officially. Then, in future,
should Sarawak find herself in a less ‘accommodating’ position, the process is
plain for everyone to see and future leaders to follow. Sarawak cannot find herself in the position
of starting again from the beginning should circumstances change, as they
certainly will.”
He added: “The process is still in the first stages. It is right that the chief minister feels
that a diplomatic solution is appropriate.
There is no point being confrontational before we have tried to settle
amicably.
"Many will say that Adenan is playing his hand and
that is the way that politics is carried out. But eventually, you have to lay
your hand on the table otherwise your negotiations begin to ring hollow.
"However, this motion should not be seen as a
confrontation – it is a declaration of intent of our final goal.
"We at S4S totally disagree that the tabling of this
motion precludes a diplomatic solution.
The motion can still go ahead and then amicable discussions on how to
implement the motion will follow.
"If the Prime Minister is sincere in his desire to
‘do the right thing’, then the motion in our DUN can only serve to support that
rather than undermine it.
"If the motion is tabled, then Sarawak
representatives, not just now but in the future, will be bound to pursue it,
unless they want to commit political suicide and repeal it. The chief minister must consider securing his
legacy for the state in black and white.”
“Adenan should do what he promised. The people of Sarawak
have given him the mandate he asked for.
This is about following proper legal process, not politics.
"Sarawak doesn’t belong to him alone. We all have a vested interest in this. Najib’s statement in Sabah was
political. It was not about the
law.
"If Adenan does not go ahead with the motion, he
will be seen as having broken a political promise, and he risks losing his
credibility, just like Najib. After all,
the prime minister has a track record of not living up to his promises!
He ended by saying: “We Sarawakians must show that this
motion is still important to us.
Therefore, we urge supporters of this motion to come out on November 21 to the Waterfront at 10am to show the chief
minister that it is indeed the will of the people.
"If we do not support it, how will he know how
important it is for the people of Sarawak?
He must see that we want some official action, not just secret talks in
the corridors of power.
"We hear administrative autonomy, but we see slow
progress, even though administrative autonomy is only the first step.
"We must continue to ensure that this intention of
the Sarawak DUN will remain high on the agenda of our political representatives
for a long time to come, right up until Sarawak achieves all the rights and
privileges promised to her under the Malaysia Agreement.”
The group asserts again that these calls for autonomy are
not a one man show, not even a one party show.
This has begun as a people’s movement and the politicians on all sides
of the political divide have a duty to respect that.
The solution must be Sarawak-wide, involving all
stakeholders. There is too much at stake
to leave it to chance. Table the motion;
put it in black and white! Then future
generations will see the path that we are laying for them today.
The final goal must be clear – full rights for Sarawak as
enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
In a week when the Prime Minister’s own Minister for Law has claimed
that Sarawak and Sabah are not in fact partners in Malaysia, Sarawakians must
stand together to show our final intent – nothing more or less than we were
promised at the outset of this agreement.
Malaysia cannot work unless we are partners, retaining
our own individualities. This motion is
our right and will bring us to the table with a clear declaration of purpose.
This is where negotiations must end. The
motion is our final destination, the only discussion left is how to get there
and when.
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