By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 21: Sarawak activist Peter John Jaban has expressed disagreement with Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah’s recent statement on the flying of the old Sarawak crown flag in conjunction with the Sarawak Day celebration tomorrow (July 22).
He said Abdul Karim has chosen to deride Sarawakians who still choose to fly the flags and likened them to ‘confused lots’ and ignorant about Sarawak’s history.
He opined that Abdul Karim viewed the old flag as a colonial flag since it was used when Sarawak was still under the reign of the Brooke family.
However, Peter John disagreed, stating that the flag in question was the Sarawak government’s flag which was fully independent from 1842 until 1888, when it became a British protectorate.
“Brooke Rajahs ruled in collaboration with local people, and were not ‘colonial masters’.
“James Brooke’s rise to be Rajah was at the suggestion and with the armed support of the Sarawak Malays, including the current Premier’s (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) direct ancestors, Datu Patinggi Ali and Datu Patinggi Abdul Gapur,” he said in a statement today.
Peter John further said as the first Rajah observed, his position emanated ‘from the will of a free people to choose their own form of Government and the functionaries by whom they shall be administered’.
He also claimed that the Brooke Gallery continues to provide incorrect information on the flag where it stated that the points on the crown represents the five divisions of Sarawak.
“How can this be when Sarawak only had three divisions when this flag came into use?” he questioned.
Nevertheless, Peter John stressed that the people flying the old Crown flag are neither ‘confused lots’ nor ignorant of the Sarawak’s history but they were part of the movements to regain Sarawak’s rights under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“These movements were never about (wanting to be subjects of) Britain. The Minister is simply being insulting in suggesting this.
“Instead, it was always about the proper recognition of our rights within Malaysia under MA63 as the founding partner of a new nation and our rights to self-determination,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
