SAPP SOKONG SARANAN JEFFERY, SABAH DAY DIGAZETKAN

SAPP SOKONG SARANAN JEFFERY SABAH DAY DIGAZETKAN

Kota Kinabalu: Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP) menyambut baik dan menyokong cadangan Timbalan Ketua Menteri, Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan untuk mencadangkan supaya Hari Sabah atau Sabah Day menjadi perayaan rasmi pada 31 Ogos setiap tahun.

Menurut Timbalan Presiden SAPP, Japiril Suhaimin, Sabah Day adalah menifestasi dari segi pengikhtirafan Sabah sebagai sebuah Wilayah yang diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri di Sarawak pada awal tahun ini.

Beliau berkata, adalah wajar kenyataan Jeffrey yang juga Presiden STAR Sabah itu dibawa dan dibincangkan kepada pihak kerajaan supaya satu mekanisme dibentuk bagi mewartakan hari berkenaan.

Jelasnya yang sebelum ini, pernah menjadi Pengerusi penganjur Sabah Day di daerah Kundasang pada tahun 2015 dan 2017, beliau berkata, ianya sangat bertepatan dengan matlamat Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63).

“Selain itu juga “Sabah Day “ akan menjernihkan beberapa isu dan perdebatan berkaitan Kemerdekaan Sabah pada 31 Ogos 1963 daripada British sebelum membentuk Persekutuan Malaysia pada 16 September tahun yang sama.

” Sebagaimana Sarawak telah mengazetkan 22 Julai sebagai Sarawak Day, kini tiba masanya bagi Sabah melakukannya,” katanya.

Tambahnya, sejarah kemerdekaan Sabah akan menjadi kebanggaan rakyat di negeri ini dan generasi muda di masa akan datang dengan Sabah Day akan menyebabkan cetusan semangat patriotik di kalangan rakyat.

” Apatah lagi, ianya juga akan menutup tuntutan Filipina ke atas Sabah yang hangat diperkatakan beberapa tahun lalu dan memberi keyakinan yang lebih kepada Sabah.

” Saya berharap semua anggota kabinet Sabah menyokong saranan dan cadangan ini .

“Begitu juga kepada semua ADUN Sabah sekiranya perlu dibincangkan di Dewan Undangan Negeri,” katanya.

SAPP Supports Sabah Day to be Gazetted

Kota Kinabalu, 6 July 2021

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) welcomes and supports Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan’s plan to gazette 31 August as "Sabah Day" to be an official Independence Day celebration for Sabah.

Its deputy president Japiril Suhaimin, who was twice the organizing chairman of Sabah Day, in 2015 and 2017 at Kundasang, said Sabah Day will further manifest its recognition of Sabah as a Region announced by the Prime Minister in Sarawak earlier this year. It will be in line with the promise of restoring the rights of Sabah in accordance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63).

“Apart from that, "Sabah Day" will clarify some issues and debates related to Sabah's Independence on 31 August 1963 from the British before forming the Federation of Malaysia on 16 Sept of the same year. As Sarawak has gazetted July 22 as Sarawak Day, now is the time for Sabah to do so,” Japiril said.

“The word Sabah Day became popular again around 2012 when the Progressive Institute of Public Policy Analysis (PIPPA) held several forums to discuss the topic of Independence and the direction of Sabah based on history in Kota Kinabalu followed by other NGOs such as Borneo Heritage Foundation (BHF) with its ‘Borneo Tea Parties’. Later the same year SAPP held a massive celebration at Chong Thien Vun Park. Although at the time, many accused that it was politically motivated, its leaders continued to organize programs to commemorate Sabah's Independence in collaboration with Sabah Youth Solidarity (SYS) in 2013 and 2014 at Lintasan Deasoka Kota Kinabalu.

"After the United Sabah Alliance (Gabungan Sabah) was established, we held Sabah Day in 2015 in Kundasang and followed by Kota Marudu a year later, and then returned to Kundasang in 2017, and every year other NGOs took turns organizing it such as BHF (2018), Pipa (2019/2020).

“The history of Sabah's Independence will be the pride of the people of Sabah and its younger generation will create a spirit of patriotism among the people. It may also dismiss the notion that Sabah belongs to the Sulu sultan aka the Philippine claim which was hotly debated.

“Gazettement of Sabah Day should be considered an important issue and should get unanimous support from the Sabah assembly,” he said.