Malaysia Day on September 16 tomorrow will be celebrated as a national public holiday for the first time in the nation’s history.
The very fact that it has taken 47 years for Malaysia Day to be recognized officially as a national public holiday is testimony of why Sabahans and Sarawakians feel so aggrieved at not being accorded full and proper treatment as an integral part of Malaysia.
This prevailing sense of alienation, discrimination and even marginalization is best illustrated by a newspaper headline in the Sabah press today, viz: “Sabahans losing patience over 20 Points – Maijol”.
United Pasokmomogun Kadazan Dusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) vice president Senator Datuk Maijol Mahap was quoted as declaring that “Sabahans are fed up with the Federal Government’s failure to fulfill what have been promised in the 20 Points Agreement”.
Maijol said: “Even after 47 years of being part of Malaysia, they are still waiting for the time when the 20 Points Agreement will be fully fulfilled.”
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is coming to Sabah with a high-level Federal Government delegation to celebrate Malaysia Day as the first national public holiday.
Declaring Malaysia Day as a national public holiday is just not good enough to address the 47 years of grievances of Sabahans articulated by Senator Maijol.
Najib should not come emtpty-handed to Sabah for the Malaysia Day celebrations but should use the occasion to announce policy decisions and measures to instill the spirit behind the declaration of Malaysia Day as a national public holiday into all aspects nation-building policies to give to Sabahans and Sarawakians their rightful dues as equal citizens of Malaysia.
This is the best and opportune occasion for Najib to announce a Royal Commission of Inquiry to assess the success or shortfalls into the 20 Points Agreement to address the root causes of grievances of the people of Sabah and Sarawak in the past five decades.
#1 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 15 September 2010 - 7:24 pm
If Najib comes empty-handed to Sabah for first Malaysia Day celebrations, that means there is no snap general election.
#2 by johnnypok on Wednesday, 15 September 2010 - 8:33 pm
I hope Sabahans will lead the way to demand for equal rights, failing which to pull out of the federation.
Equal rights include:
1. PM post to be rotated between Sabah, Sarawak & Malaya
2. Sabah for Sabahans only.
#3 by Peter on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 12:00 am
First “Malaysia Day” after nearly have a century. Is it great to celebrate? In my point of view, it’s a SHAME! It tells only one thing, we, from the Borneo Island, have been neglected all these while! After all these years, we don’t have a proper hospital. After all these years, we still don’t have a proper highway. We have even immune from power outage and water shortage. Illegal immigrants are jamming up the town and yelling “SAYA ANAK MALAYSIA” during National Day!!
What happened to our own natural resources? With what we have, we SHOULD have the BEST facilities – The BEST education system, the BEST hospital, the BEST road and transport system, the BEST power supply and water system. With what we have, we SHOULD HAVE THE BEST! BUT, we are the poorest state now. How ridiculous can that be?
We were invited to join Malaya, but then we have to hand over all of our money too?? I wonder who was stupid enough to agree on that.
During the recent blackout, me and my friends were saying, “WE WILL BLACKOUT BN IN THE NEXT ELECTION! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”.
#4 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 12:27 am
Musa Aman and his Cabinet, State leaders and their predecessors are and were all very happy all these 47 years that they did NOTHING.
And they continue to be impotent. So why complain?
Rise Up Sabahans.
Remember your slogan 20 years ago?
“Sabahans Will Show The Way”.
So whither Sabah? We are still waiting.
#5 by boh-liao on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 3:26 am
Y not? Sabah n Sarawak r UmnoB’s fixed deposits
Surely NR must go there empty-handed so dat his grubby hands can grab more fixed deposit; in fact, he wished dat he were a millipede with 1000 hands/legs
Is Loh Si Mah with him? Ai ya yah, jialat lah 4 Sabahans
Seriously Sabah n Sarawak damn dumb, formed M’sia with Malaya n kena skrued
Their rich resources kena sucked off n most of their ppl still poor, hard core poor
Basic infrastructures (health, water, sewage, transport, education) still sorely lacking in many places, after 47 years
Should hv left 2gether with Sg in 1965 n Harry Lee might hv transformed them into Paradise Below the Wind; so so sad
How 2 wish Sabah n Sarawak Happy M’sia Day ah? Day of Paradise Lost n lost opportunities
REDEMPTION time in GE13, Sabahan n Sarawakian voters, say NAH!! n TAK NAK 2 UmnoB/BN 4 your own sake n 4 your children’s n your children’s children’s sake
#6 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 7:06 am
Coming empty handed?
What is at stake is a crucial 35 out of 57 parliamentary seats in East Malaysia in respect of which very disgruntled non-Muslim bumiputera there can send the BN back to Semenanjung Malaysia and make it lose in the next general election….
#7 by Thor on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 9:06 am
Malaysia day???
Not now!
Only can happen when Sarawakians and Sabahans are fully awake in the next GE.
So…, “Happy Malaysial day!”, at the moment.
#8 by frankyapp on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 2:38 pm
Najib comes with empty handed or comes with begs full of $$$ does not matter any more as most Sabahans/voters have decided to “regime change ” Sabahans have enough of slavery treatment from Putra Jaya and are preparing and looking forward to rejoice to switch party to gain freedom and real demoncray.
#9 by Taxidriver on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 6:27 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. LEE KUAN YEW. Your success as leader of modern Singapore is a stark reflection of the failures of our Malaysian leaders – Mahathir, Abdullah and Najib.
#10 by Taxidriver on Thursday, 16 September 2010 - 6:35 pm
Sabahans and Sarawakians MUST punish UMNOB/BN for the decades of sufferings. Whatever goodies they offer you, take lah. But all the same kick them out come PRU 13.
Bangkitlah Rakyat Sabah Dan Sarawak. Katakan “TAK NAK” kepada UMNOB/BN