By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 22: Flying the old Sarawak Crown flag and the current Ibu Pertiwi Sarawak flag is meant to remind Sarawakians that the State was once recognised as a fully independent and sovereign nation before the formation of Malaysia, said Sarawak Association for People Aspiration (SAPA) president Dominique Ng.
Ng said the display of both flags on July 22 was a symbolic gesture to commemorate Sarawak’s historical journey and highlight its past status before it became part of Malaysia.
July 22 has been gazetted as “Sarawak Independence Day” by the late Sarawak Chief Minister Tun Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, or better known as Tok Nan, on May 20, 2016.
Explaining the significance of the two flags, Ng said the old Sarawak “crown flag” represented the era of the White Rajahs, when Sarawak was recognised as an independent and sovereign nation from 1841 to 1946.
“The flag was also officially used as the Sarawak flag after the formation of Malaysia in 1963, before it was replaced by another design in 1973.
“The current Sarawak flag (known as the Ibu Pertiwi Sarawak flag) with the star shares the same colours as the former crown flag,” he said in a statement in conjunction with Sarawak Independence Day celebration today.
Ng said Sarawak should continue to be recognised based on its historical position, adding that the formation of Malaysia was intended to comprise equal partners.
“We ought to be recognised as a fully independent and sovereign nation, within what was supposed to be the Confederation of Malaysia, comprising the independent and sovereign nations of the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo (now renamed as Sabah),” he said.
He ended his statement with the Latin phrase “Dum Spiro Spero”, which means “While I breathe, I hope.” — DayakDaily
