"Sabah & Sarawak should pull out of Malaysia" Debate: Group wants live telecast

KUCHING - A Sarawak nationalist Facebook group outlined conditions for debate on Malaysia’s formation after a Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member accepted the challenge.

Calling itself 916 Occupation Day, the group through its administrator Lina Soo, said the debate themed ‘Sabah & Sarawak should pull out of Malaysia’, with Idris Buang be telecast ‘live’.

“A ‘live’ debate would be appropriate as we can actively engage the people of Sarawak and Sabah, instead of arguing in the social media until the cows come home,” said Soo.

The debate was originally proposed by several members of nationalist Facebook groups last month, and Idris accepted it despite a warning by a federal level deputy minister not to do so.

“We commend the ‘bravery and sporting spirit’ of Idris for accepting the challenge to debate on an issue of public interest and importance.

In accepting the challenge last month, Idris stipulated certain conditions for the debate. In response, 916, through Soo, also proposed several considerations to facilitate the debate.

“We suggest it takes place on March 2, 2014. With Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year around the corner, it will give time for civil groups and online communities to to turn out for the event.

“(We suggest) that Idris, a man of influence and means, to book an appropriate venue as the debate is apolitical and open to all members of society,” said Soo.

Soo also added that the debate be Oxford-style or in the Australasia format where each team comprises three members and given seven minutes to present their views and three minutes rebuttal time.

A senior member of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s PBB party, Idris said Sarawak nationalists were ‘inciting Sabahans and Sarawakians to cede from Malaysia’.

Last week, deputy home minister Wan Junaidi warned politicians to discontinue raising the Malaysia Agreement, calling the act ‘treason and seditious’.

Sarawak Land Development minister James Masing was quoted by a local daily stating that Sarawak’s position in the Malaysian federation should be reviewed from the historical aspect.