KUCHING, July 6: There are growing calls for Sarawak to secede from Malaysia because both Sarawak and Sarawakians has been “shortchanged” for the past 55 years.
Otherwise, such talks would not come about in recent years, especially after the emergency proclamation was lifted on November 2011, said Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB).
The party pointed out that Sarawakians had always demanded for equality of its own state because it is what to be expected when Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaysia.
“Whether Sarawakians are truly being shortchanged or not, only Sarawakians knows. Otherwise, why would a talk or a call for secession come about? No citizen would even thought of secession if genuinely being treated equally, fair and just,” PBDSB said in a statement today.
“Let it be known that Sarawakians had always been meek and humble, with full respect and honour to others. We are a multiracial state (beside Sabah), and multiracial harmony is our forte and upbringing from the day we are born.
“Sarawakians will not cause chaos just to fight for their rights because Sarawakians had always approached issues of MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) and Sarawak autonomous rights in a professional and gentlemenly manner,” it added.
Meanwhile, PBDSB said it agreed with Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan’s take that there is no provision under the Federal Constitution, the MA63 or the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report that touches on the right of Sabah and Sarawak to secede.
Hence, it is also not against the law to speak about independence or secession for Sarawak, it added.
Voon had made the comment in response to Prime Minster Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement in Parliament, where he said the government could take action under the Sedition Act against those attempting to get Sarawak out of Malaysia.
However, Dr Mahathir said in line with the policy to promote freedom of speech, Putrajaya would only use the Act in extreme cases, where such calls jeopardise the country’s security and public order. — DayakDaily
