By Shikin Louis
SRI AMAN, Oct 1: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has instructed State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki to retrieve the original document of the Sri Aman Declaration 1973 to be displayed in the upcoming Rumah Sri Aman Gallery.
He was referring to the peace treaty signed between the Sarawak government, represented by then Chief Minister Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya’kub and the late Bong Kee Chok, the then director and commissar of the Pasukan Rakyat Kalimantan Utara (Paraku) at the Rumah Kerajaan, Simanggang (renamed Rumah Sri Aman afterwards) on Oct 21, 1973.
“I have requested the Sarawak Secretary to find the original document of the signing ceremony, perhaps in the archive.
“It is a very important historical document that brought peace in Sarawak after Paraku surrendered, which led to the peace we enjoy today and enabled us to develop the State,” he said when officiating at the closing ceremony of Pesta Benak 2023 at Sri Aman Waterfront here today.
The topic of the Sri Aman Declaration 1973 was brought to light following the upgrading of Rumah Sri Aman, a former government rest house and a historical heritage building in Simanggang town, of which the signing ceremony of the peace treaty took place.
The building is expected to reopen its doors as a museum today in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Sri Aman Declaration 1973.
Also present were Abang Johari’s wife Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang; Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas; Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Deputy Minister of International Trade and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh; Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development II (Talent Development) Datuk Francis Harden Hollis who is also Simanggang assemblyman; Sri Aman MP Dato Sri Doris Sophia Brodie; and Sri Aman Division resident Abang Mohamad Porkan Abang Budiman. — DayakDaily
