By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 21: The United Kingdom (UK) is monitoring Malaysia’s internal politics including developments in Sarawak and Sabah.
In reply to Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), the UK government through H.A. Cranston of the South East Asia Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in a letter dated Oct 11, 2019, disclosed that apart from the UK, the European Union, the USA and other foreign missions are keeping watch over the internal politics of Malaysia.
“The United Kingdom (UK) government continues to monitor human rights issues and internal politics of Malaysia alongside our likeminded partners, the EU (European Union), the USA and other foreign missions in Kuala Lumpur, and to raise our concerns as appropriate.
“We follow developments in East Malaysia closely and speak regularly with the Malaysian government and civil society on a range of issues, including human rights,” added Cranston.
He however, also stated that Malaysia is a sovereign state over which the UK government has no jurisdiction.
“We respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the State of Malaysia in accordance with international law,” said Cranston.
He thus advised PBK president Voon Lee Shan to redirect the latter’s concerns towards the Malaysian government.
Cranston was replying to Voon’s letter dated Sept 19, 2019 to the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
In the letter, Voon was seeking advice and assistance from Johnson concerning the alleged plight of the people of Sarawak at the hands of the federal government of Malaysia, claiming these are “acts against human rights”.
Voon alleged the UK had breached its undertaking by not giving Sarawak independence before Malaysia was formed.
He believes that the Malaysian federal government has been shortchanging Sarawak and Sabah whereby the two states have been suffering from deprivation of medical care, schools, road connectivity, electricity and water.
“The people of Sabah and Sarawak yearned for independence and to be freed from Malaysia and had been struggling to get out of Malaysia since Malaysia came into existence.
“We consider Great Britain has an obligation to see that this aspiration of the people of Sabah and Sarawak to be independent and free nations gain be realised,” Voon wrote in his letter to Johnson.
Meanwhile, in the press conference held at his office at Saradise today, Voon also announced that he has written a letter to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
In the letter, Voon narrated the history of how Sarawak joined Malaya to form the Federation of Malaysia and at the same time, questioned the legality of its formation.
He said he put forth his view that Sarawak and Sabah have been suffering from economic and political suppression by the federal government and that non-compliance with the Malaysian Agreement 1963’s international obligations by the federal government has rendered the agreement null and void. — DayakDaily
