Dr Jeff: "Why is National Day on 31st August and Not 16th September?"

KOTA KINABALU - “By celebrating 31st August as National Day instead of 16th September, the Federal government is not only ignoring and twisting facts of history but also failing in promoting national integration, down-playing the importance of the formation of Malaysia as well as sidestepping the roles of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners.  It only serves to confirm that Malaysia was a colonial takeover project of Sabah and Sarawak by Malaya” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, State Assemblyman for Bingkor cum President of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) on the call to celebrate National Day.

There was no Malaysia in existence before 16 September 1963 and Malaysia was only formed as a new nation on that historic day. 

Malaysia was never conquered nor colonized and never gained independence from the British or any one else.   That is an undeniable historic fact.

History shows that 31st August 1957 was the Independence Day of Malaya and Malaya’s independence has no significance or relevance to Sabah and Sarawak although 31st August is shared by Sabah as its Independence Day in 1963.

On a separate note, Sabah should declare 31st August as Sabah’s National or Independence Day or Sabah Day similar to 22nd July as Sarawak Day in Sarawak.

“Why is the Federal government not marking and celebrating Malaysia Day as National Day and informing the people in Malaya that Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963?”;

“Why is the Federal government only coming to Sabah and Sarawak and holding Malaysia Day celebrations as though to appease Sabahans and Sarawakians? and ... What is the motive of the Federal government in doing so?” asked Dr. Jeffrey.

For Malaysia to be fully settled as a nation and federation formed on 16th September 1963 among national entities as equal partners, each entity should be able to celebrate their coming to nationhood on their respective “birthdays”. And then coming together to celebrate on a grander scale their merger as Malaysians on 16th September as National Day.

By continuing to ignore 16 September as National Day and failing to mark any celebrations in Malaya while only playing to the gallery in Sabah and Sarawak by holding annual celebrations there, the Federal government is pushing the people of Sabah and Sarawak further and further away as stepchildren.   

It is not surprising some in the Borneo States want out of Malaysia although the BN controls the Sarawak government while Umno has an iron-clad hold over Sabah as the failure by the Federal government will reinforce and serve to confirm that Sabah and Sarawak are colonies of Malaya renamed as Malaysia.