Emphasis should be on Sept 16 not Aug 31

Political, community leaders unanimous in celebrating nation’s Independence Day on Sept 16

Leaders in the state transcended the political divide in agreeing that Malaysia Day on Sept 16 should be the main focus of the nation’s independence celebration and not Aug 31.

Sept 16 is the day Malaya, which gained its independence from the British on Aug 31, 1957; Sarawak on July 22, 1963 and North Borneo on Aug 31, 1963 - formed Malaysia in 1963.

Minister of Land Development Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing pointed out that since Sept 16 had been declared as Malaysia Day, it should be the rallying point for the nation’s unity.

“Everyone now knows that Aug 31 is Malaya’s and Sabah’s Independence Day… it’s not our independence day.

“They can celebrate it both in Malaya and in Sabah as they have the same Independence Day date, and we can join them there if they invite us. We must right the wrong,” Masing told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

Masing was commenting on Minister of Communication and Multimedia Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek’s recent proposal that Malaysia should continue

Before Sept 16, there was no Malaysia. Let everyone remember that. It’s on Sept 16 that the four independent countries namely Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah agreed to form Malaysia. Tan Sri Datuk Amar James Masing, Land Development Minister

to commemorate Aug 31 as its Independence Day, without mentioning the anniversary year.

“Before Sept 16, there was no Malaysia. Let everyone remember that. It’s on Sept 16 that the four independent countries namely Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo agreed to form Malaysia. And as everyone also knows, Singapore pulled out in 1965,” he reiterated.

Even State PKR chairman Baru Bian agreed that only Malaysia Day should be celebrated by all Malaysians.

“We can join them to celebrate Aug 31 but it’s not ours,” said the Ba Kelalan assemblyman.

Following that event, Tunku Abdul Rahman went to Sarawak and Sabah in June 1961 and Brunei July 1961 to explain the concept and objectives of the formation.

Among the objectives of the formation of Malaysia were to halt the spread of communist ideology, to balance the population, to enhance the economy and development of Sabah and Sarawak, to speed the independence of Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah and to realise racial unity and regional integration.

However, not all was plain sailing for Tunku Abdul Rahman’s struggle to realise this concept as there were resistances from the peoples in the four regions such as from PAS in Semenanjung Malaysia, United People’s Party ( PAP) in Singapore and the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak not until the people really understood the good motive, and the Cobbold Commission was established on Jan 17, 1962

Brunei, which had agreed to the formation later withdrew its intention due to resistance from her people.

Eventually, on June 21 1962, the commission’s report was handed over to the British Government after more than 80 per cent of the people agreed to the formation.

Sarawak was represented by P. E. H. Pike, Tun Jugah Barieng, Datuk Abang Haji Mustapha, Ling Beng Siew and Datuk Abang Haji Openg.

On Aug 26 1963, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the Malaysian Act which was earlier on consented by Queen Elizabeth II and approved by the British Parliament.

Actually, the proposed date for the formation was Aug 31, but was delayed due to certain circumstances and the declaration was finally made on Sept 16, 1963 at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur and thus the nation Malaysia was formed.

Since 2010, Malaysia Day has been a public holiday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made the decision after a question- and- answer session at the Malaysian Parliament on Oct 19, 2009.

Hence, Malaysia has two celebrations related to Malaysia’s independence.