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Make Sept 16 Malaysia Day! September 3, 2008

Posted by wong jimmy in Independence.
2 comments

Facts are facts, Malaya achieved independence on August 31, 1957 thus the Merdeka Day for Malaya. For Sabah and Sarawak it has nothing significant because it is the history of Malaya.

Both states (Sabah and Sarawak) joined Malaya to form MALAYSIA on September 16, 1963 and this is the history not only for Sabah and Sarawak but also includes Malaya. Because on this date MALAYSIA was born.

If we are talking about Malaysia, to those (Sabahan and Sarawakian) who know the history, August 31 has no meaning compared to September 16.

For many Sabahans who knows the history, we are not celebrating 51st Merdeka this year, but 45th anniversary of Malaysia Day come September 16.

To be a real ‘bangsa Malaysia’, I fully support calls for BN government to recognize September 16 as Malaysia Day as it is the true date Malaysia was ‘born’.

August 31, need not be a public holiday for Sabah and Sarawak only September 16, which is a very important date. 

Among Sabah BN leaders, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok is a true Malaysian as he recognized September 16 as Malaysia Day. DPM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak does not recognized, thus he is fit only to be DPM for Malaya and not for Malaysia.

UMNO and its component parties have to accept this fact. Malaya was ‘born’ on August 31, and Malaysia was ‘born’ on September 16.

So why are we celebrating Malaysia’s ‘independence day’ on August 31? Are we rewriting history here?

I am not against August 31 celebration, that is for former Malaya to celebrate their independence.

Sabah and Sarawak are partners but are not recognized and treated unfairly.

The BN government has ignored calls to correct the celebration date and I believe BN will never correct it.

Personally as a Sabahan, I feel Sabah is being treated as a stepchild. When we make NOISE they give us sweets to make us quite. As Datuk Anifah Aman and other BN leaders had said we are ‘anak tiri’ and not invited stay inside the bungalow but at the bungalow’s toilet.

For this reason, if a Prime Minister does not recognize Sept 16 as Malaysia Day, then he is only a Prime Minister for Malaya, but not for Sabah and Sarawak, as he assumed Sabah and Sarawak to be akin to ‘colonial rule’.

BN comes to Sabah using ‘wheel-barrow’ to bring allocations, but using trailers to bring out the state resources.

If this is how we will be treated, then only Pakatan Rakyat can put things in the right perspective. For a new Malaysia with September 16 as Malaysia Day and for Sabah and Sarawak to be equal partners and treated equally.