Text of speech
of Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Abang Openg when addressing Sarawak
Day at the Kuching Waterfront on July 22, 2017.
1. Address
to Tuan Yang Terutama
Tuan Yang Terutama, Tun Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud
Yang Amat Berbahagia, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Ragad Kurdi Taib,
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| Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud (3rd from right), Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg (4th from left) and other VVIPs at the Sarawak Day celebration |
We are very honoured to have you among us here this
morning Tun to celebrate the anniversary of 22nd July, 1963 that is now called
Hari Sarawak. It is most appropriate that you are with us today because 54
years ago you were present at the creation, not only as a spectator but as
participant who witnessed the formation of self-government, the formation of
Malaysia and the setting down of conditions before Sarawak became party to the
formation of Malaysia. You are the last living member of that first state
cabinet.
Thank you Tun and Toh Puan for being able to be with the
rakyat here this morning to celebrate this very special day for all
Sarawakians.
Tun, now let me address others present here this morning.
2. Address
to people
(i) Three
Vital Decisions of People in 1963
(a) To be
Free People
Fifty-four years ago, the people of Sarawak made three
vital and critical decisions. Our leaders and people of the time decided to be
free from colonial rule.
I remember I was only 13 years old when this happened.
Back then I quite knew that something very important was going on as I could
see a number of people came over to our house to see my father. One of them was
Apai Jugah who met my father and called him “menyadi” in Iban or “brother”. Ong
Kee Hui also came and he called my father “brother”.
(b) Self-Government
Apparently, on this day 54 years ago, we have our own
governor in the person of my father, Datuk Abang Haji Openg, our own chief
minister, Datuk Stephen Kalong Ningkan, and our own state cabinet entrusted to
rule the state in our own way without direction from London. Our Tun Pehin Sri
were among the members of that first state cabinet when he was only 27 years
old.
Tun, when he was Chief Minister has decided that it’s
appropriate that July 22 be accorded its importance as the day when Sarawak
were given the power of self-rule by the British colonial government.
The late Tok Nan took it further and declared July 22 as
a public holiday in Sarawak and this auspicious day was called Hari Sarawak.
(c) Party
to Formation of Malaysia and Sarawak’s Special Rights
On 16 September 1963 we became party to the formation of
Malaysia after signing the Malaysia Agreement on 9th July 1963 in London. We
became party to a bigger federation of Malaysia in the hope and expectation
that we will be a free and independent people, safe-guarded from hostile
neighbours and internal subversion.
And of course, being party to the Malaysia Agreement we
are safeguarded by the recommendations of the Cobbold Commission and United
Nations Fact-Finding team.
(ii) Independence
without Bloodshed
Looking back over those 54 years, we cannot but say that
we have made a wise decision. After 22nd July, we proved to the world that we
can rule by ourselves and we do not need the assistance of people from London
to tell us what to do.
Fortunately, we did not gain our independence through war
and bloodshed but by negotiating on the conference table. The British knew that
their days as a colonial power were numbered and that they must give up their
possessions as promised by the Third Rajah Charles Brooke in 1941. There were
some resistance at first but in the end they were very accommodative and we
parted as friends and not as enemies with the British. And we are good friends
with the British until today.
On this day also, we had our first local governor, our
first chief minister and first state cabinet under a constitution which places
power in the hands of the people instead of some officials in London.
(iii) Circumstances
Requiring Sarawak to be Party to Formation of Malaysia
In 1963, the circumstances were much different from what
it is today. We were not only a backwater, undeveloped country but also poor
and poverty was rife. We were under the threat of communism, China was trying
to expand and Indonesia was dominated by Parti Komunis Indonesia which had
territorial claims in this region. The Philippines was also hostile at that
time because they lay claim to Sabah.
In the circumstances, knowing that we cannot defend
ourselves alone, we look to safety to the Commonwealth and fellow Malaysians from
Malaya. But at the same time, we were jealous of our independence.
That is why after
agreeing to be a part of Malaysia in principle we insist on certain terms and
conditions which gave us autonomy over many aspects of constitutional life.
(iv) Relationship
with Federal Government and Erosion of State Powers
Over the years, as is inevitable in a federation, there
arose friction between the central government and state government. The state
was not being too happy about centralisation of power in Kuala Lumpur but we
have been able to resolve all these problems by sitting around a table,
adopting the policy of give and take.
We have overcome many of our teething problems. They will
continue to arise but there’s nothing we cannot solve as fellow citizens. And I
am now continuing the work of Datuk Patinggi Adenan in discussing these matters
of concern with the federal government.
But in our negotiation with Putrajaya, we must first do
our homework to make sure that we are not firing blanks. This is why we sent
our team of lawyers to London to study large volume of documents in the British
archives and other sources which were only recently declassified in order to be
able to determine what really the underlying spirit of Malaysia Agreement was.
Therefore, very much contrary to some suggestions that we
are inviting foreign intervention, the terms of reference of the London team
has never been to get foreigners to intervene in our domestic affairs.
(v) No Exit
from Malaysia
There’s no need for Sarawak to exit Malaysia but being in
Malaysia does not mean that we cannot negotiate with the Federal Government to
get back our rights and what belongs to us. We only want what belongs to us. It
is simple as that.
I sincerely hope that our fellow Sarawakians will
continue to give me the support to discuss with the Federal Government to find
amicable solutions to the central issue of the devolution of power back to
Sarawak. Apai Jugah called my father “menyadi”, Ong Kee Hui called him
“brother” and in that spirit of unity and brotherhood we should pursue our goal
to ensure that Sarawak move forward as envisaged by our past leaders.
(vi) Note of
Thanks to PM and TPM
We believe that there’s no problem that we cannot
overcome and I must thank the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib and the Deputy
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid for being always open to discussion with
Sarawak in our efforts to bring back our powers according to the Federal
Constitution, the Malaysia Agreement, the Malaysia Act, the Inter-Governmental
Committee Reports and Recommendations and the Cobbold Commission Reports that
have been eroded over the years.
(vii) Malaysia
Success Story
Malaysia had been a success story. We have developed by
leaps and bounds over the years where our per capita income and GDP multiplied
many times. But still it is not a perfect union but we strive to be a perfect
union in the years to come.
As Tok Nan used to say “We were Malaysia Yesterday We are
Malaysia Now, We are Malaysia Tomorrow and We are Malaysia Forever”.
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