By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Jan 24: Sarawak activist Peter John Jaban has called on education authorities to rewrite history textbooks to reflect the true story of Malaysia’s formation.
Peter, founder of Saya Anak Sarawak, stressed that textbooks must clearly state that Sabah and Sarawak “formed Malaysia” rather than merely “joined” it—a distinction he described as timely, necessary and long overdue.
“This isn’t about rewriting history, but correcting long-standing inaccuracies.
“Our children deserve clarity, not confusion; facts, not half-truths,” he said in a statement today.
He further highlighted that Malaysia was officially established on Sept 16, 1963, through an agreement involving four entities: the Federation of Malaya, Sabah (then North Borneo), Sarawak and Singapore.
Following this, he noted that the frequent focus on Aug 31 as “Malaysia’s Independence Day” is misleading, as that date marks only the independence of Malaya in 1957.
He also called for teaching students about Sarawak’s self-government on July 22, 1963, Sabah’s on Aug 31, 1963, and the role of the Cobbold Commission, which gauged local communities’ support for Malaysia—a process that was conditional, not automatic.
In addition, he wants the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the 18-Point Agreement (Sarawak) and the 20-Point Agreement (Sabah) included in textbooks—so students understand local rights, autonomy and why these safeguards matter today.
“These agreements were conditions for forming the federation, intended to protect local identity, governance and rights.
“The erosion or neglect of these safeguards explains ongoing constitutional and development debates today,” he added.
He also said that textbooks should clarify the constitutional status of Sabah and Sarawak, including their separate category under Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution and the need for special consent for amendments affecting the two states. He cited the 2021 constitutional amendment as reinforcing Sabah and Sarawak’s status under MA63.
“An honest and accurate telling of history does not weaken national unity. On the contrary, it strengthens Malaysia by fostering mutual respect, understanding and equality among all regions,” Peter said.
The call comes after Sabah Education Minister Datuk James Ratib proposed changing the history syllabus to reflect that Sabah and Sarawak “formed Malaysia together with the Federation of Malaya and Singapore,” rather than simply “joined Malaysia.”
Ratib reportedly said he would raise the matter with the federal education ministry for syllabus improvements. – DayakDaily
