By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 8: Sarawak and Sabah must never be seen as mere “absorbed territories” of Malaya because Malaysia was only formed in 1963 through the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), asserted Batu Kitang assemblyman Dato Ir Lo Khere Chiang.
In a press statement, he rebuked National Archives director (Development) Siti Hawiyah Manan for declaring the 1957 Proclamation of Independence as Malaysia’s “birth certificate,” stressing that the claim is historically wrong and risks erasing Sarawak and Sabah’s place as equal founding partners in the nation.
Lo explained that the Proclamation of 1957 celebrated the Federation of Malaya’s independence from Britain, and had nothing to do with Sarawak, Sabah, or Singapore, all of which remained under British rule until 1963.
He emphasised that the historical milestones are clear: Malaya attained independence on Aug 31, 1957; Sarawak on July 22, 1963; North Borneo (Sabah) on Aug 31, 1963; and Malaysia was born on Sept 16, 1963, when Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore formed a new sovereign nation.
“Malaysia was not a unilateral extension of Malaya. It was a new sovereign entity, born through constitutional amendments, international recognition, and the Malaysia Agreement 1963, a binding international treaty registered at the United Nations,” he stressed.
Lo said the Director’s statement is more than a slip of the tongue, as it risks diminishing Sarawak and Sabah’s role as founding partners.
“That distortion carries real consequences, because it mirrors the unfairness we continue to face today,” he warned.
He pointed to how Sarawak’s oil and gas resources were taken under the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA74), which was enacted during Emergency rule without the State legislature’s consent.
Similarly, Sarawak’s maritime boundaries were altered under the Territorial Sea Act 2012 (TSA2012), again without Sarawak’s approval.
“Both laws remain constitutionally debatable, and legally contentious, under the very spirit of MA63,” he noted.
“When resources were taken, it was done in a flash. Yet when it comes to restoring our rights, Sarawak is told to wait endlessly while progress creeps forward at a snail’s pace.
“It is like being told a million dollars belongs to us, but instead of returning it, only one dollar is handed back each year. The same pattern can be seen in the ongoing Petronas–Petros dispute,” Lo added.
He contrasted the Director’s remarks with the balanced explanation by Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
“Our TYT correctly stated that Aug 31 commemorates Malaya’s independence, while Sept 16 marks Malaysia’s true formation.
“He further explained why Aug 31 continues to be marked as National Day: what was once known as Independence Day was renamed in 2013 to better reflect the spirit of unity among Malaysians.
“This approach respects the intelligence of Malaysians, especially Sarawakians and Sabahans, and shows that history can be explained honestly, while still promoting unity,” Lo said.
He reminded that the duty of the Director of the National Archives is to preserve history faithfully, not to reshape it for convenience.
“Malaysia’s true birth certificate is the Malaysia Agreement 1963. Malaysia’s birthday is Sept 16, 1963. And Malaysia’s real National Day should rightly be Sept 16, not Aug 31,” Lo asserted.
He underscored his message with a call to safeguard the truth: “Let us write this truth in the hearts of our children. Let no Director of National Archives, and no careless word, erase it.” — DayakDaily
