Abang Johari serious about claiming state’s rights — Dr Sim
KUCHING: Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, or Captain Abang Jo, is continuing previous chief minister the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem’s firm and forceful passion to claim Sarawak’s rights and autonomy as accorded under the Malaysia Agreement, 1963 ( MA63).
Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said Captain Abang Jo of Team Adenan did not just talk about Sarawak’s autonomy but he sent a team of lawyers to London to flip through pages of historical documents relating to Sarawak’s rights.
“This is a very critical move as there were many exchanges of letters, minutes of meetings especially those recorded during the plenary meetings of the InterGovernmental Committee, and to even trace our state’s rights all the way up to the time when Sarawak was called the Kingdom of Sarawak as ruled by the White Rajahs.
“According to Article VIII of the MA63, in order for the signing parties to the Agreement to continue to work out and implement the assurances, undertakings, and recommendations as contained in the MA63 as well as the Report of the Inter- Governmental Committee as signed on 27th February 1963, both Sarawak Government and the Federal Government must take necessary legislative, executive and other actions to achieve the above.
“I therefore complement our Sarawak Government on its continuous efforts as led by our Right Honourable Chief Minister to communicate with the Federal Government as to the necessary actions to be taken to restore rights to Sarawak as provided in MA63,” he said when supporting
This is a very critical move as there were many exchanges of letters, minutes of meetings especially those recorded during the plenary meetings of the Inter-Governmental Committee, and to even trace our state’s rights all the way up to the time when Sarawak was called the Kingdom of Sarawak as ruled by the White Rajahs. Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister of Local Government and Housing
the ministerial motion by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah on the MA63 at the State Legislative Assembly yesterday.
Dr Sim said Sarawakians are unhappy because they want the federal government, federal ministers and federal officers, and other state governments in Malaysia to demonstrate a proper understanding and respect for the aspirations of the people of Sarawak. He pointed out that Sarawakians want the state to have its proper position and status in the Federation in accordance with the terms, spirit and letter of the MA63.
“The state government does not like to adopt a confrontational stance in the discussions with the federal government in this Devolution of Power process.
“As I had said multiple times in Senate, in the Parliament of Malaysia, we are grateful for Malaya to defend Sarawak by blood and in return for Sarawak to defend Malaysia by blood. Sarawak, as a founder of this nation, would not act against the national interests,” he said.
He pointed out that the ministerial motion by the Deputy Chief Minister was to achieve a solution to all the unresolved issues on devolution of power under MA63.
This is to be dealt by high level representatives from both the State and Federal Governments and these representatives ought to be vested with full authority to make expeditious decisions to facilitate the settlement of these issues, he added.
He also mentioned that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had openly promised during the Malaysia Day celebration in Kota Kinabalu this year that the Federal Government would restore all the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as stated in MA63.
He also spoke about Sarawak United Peoples’ Party ( SUPP), which was the first political party formed in Sarawak then formed out of the widespread raging nationalism among Sarawakians to fight for Sarawak’s independence from British Colonial Government.
“Our party SUPP had rightly expressed the 1959 sentiment of our fellow Sarawakians in three words: ‘ Sarawak for Sarawakians’,” he said.