Is Malaysia heading for 'BorneoExit'? Why some in East Malaysia are advocating for secession
James Chin
7-8 minutes
Unity is a common theme every year on Malaysia Day, the holiday
celebrated last week that marks the day Malaysia became a federation in
1963.
That year, Britain agreed to relinquish control of most of its
remaining colonies in Southeast Asia — Singapore, North Borneo (now
called Sabah) and Sarawak. They then joined with Malaya, which had
gained independence from Britain in 1957, to form a new nation called Federation of Malaysia.
Yet, for the people of Sabah and Sarawak, located on the island of
Borneo, the agreement left many with mixed emotions. Some people in
these states have long desired secession and, in recent years, the
drumbeat of separation has only grown louder.
This issue is now a key political issue in the Sabah state election this weekend and upcoming the Sarawak elections, which must be held before the end of 2021.
The two parts of Malaysia are separated by the South China Sea.Shutterstock
Source of historical grievances
In a nutshell, most people in Sabah and Sarawak (also known as East
Malaysia) are unhappy with federation because they think it has not
delivered on two main promises made in 1962 — high levels of autonomy and economic development.
In the first area, the federal government has stripped away a lot of
local powers in Sabah and Sarawak in the last 57 years. On top of that,
the federal authorities have tried to impose the same toxic racial and
religious politics found in Malaya (also known as West Malaysia) to the
eastern states.
East Malaysia is much more ethnically and religiously diverse
compared to the west. For example, the Malay population is a minority in
both Sabah and Sarawak; in fact, no ethnic group constitutes more than
40% in eitherstate. As a result, political Islam has not taken root here.
In fact, one of the defining features of East Malaysia is
intermarriage among the different ethnic and religious groups. The
divide between Muslims and non-Muslims is reasonably insignificant — a
marked difference from the often suspicious attitude Islamic leaders
have toward non-Muslims in Kuala Lumpur.
In terms of economic development, Sabah remains one of the poorest states in Malaysia. And the infrastructure in both Sabah and Sarawak is vastly underdeveloped compared to the west of Malaysia.
To add insult to injury, more than half of Malaysia’s oil and gas
production comes from Sabah and Sarawak. The common joke is that all the
iconic infrastructure in peninsular Malaysia, such as the Petronas
Towers, Penang Bridge and Kuala Lumpur international airport, was built
with money from East Malaysia.
The infrastructure in Kuala Lumpur far exceeds that in Malaysia’s eastern states.FAZRY ISMAIL/EPA
Britain’s hand in the federation
In recent times, one of the biggest grievances in East Malaysia comes
from the process of decolonisation administered by the British after
the second world war.
There is clear, documented evidence
that back in 1962, the colonial office in London used its powers and
influence to get the local leaders in Sabah and Sarawak to agree to the
formation of Malaysia.
The British wanted a clean exit from Southeast Asia and to ensure its
former colonies did not turn to communism. So the British conceived the
idea of a “Federation of Malaysia”, where its former territories would
come under a single political entity.
Activists in East Malaysia say if the British had not supported the formation of the federation, it was highly unlikely local leaders
would have agreed to it. Many would have instead preferred independence
or a federation consisting of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei (which gained
independence from Britain much later, in 1984).
A campaign event in Sabah ahead of this weekend’s elections.Shutterstock
What Sabah and Sarawak want
All these historical grievances have led to a growing movement in Sabah and Sarawak advocating for secession from the federation.
With elections upcoming in both states, all local politicians —
including those serving in the federal government — are now claiming to
be MA63 nationalists trying to keep “Malaya out” of Sabah and Sarawak.
Social media
is one key reason the secessionist movement has taken off in East
Malaysia. It is now much easier for advocates to organise and magnify
their grievances.
What the Sabah and Sarawak people want, at the very least, is a
constitutional amendment to recognise the special autonomy of both
states. But a significant minority argues the whole federation has
failed, and thus secession is the only way forward.
Currently, the secessionist groups pose no real threat to the
federation. But if enough people buy the secession argument in the
future, public sentiment may be too strong for the national leaders to
ignore.
How should the federal government respond?
There are basically two options available to the federal government.
The first is the ostensibly easy option — the political route. This
would require the federal government to recognise the historical
grievances and try to resolve them.
However, this is not as simple as it seems. The government is
reluctant to grant real autonomy to the two states, worried this will
end up weakening federal powers in the other 11 states of the
federation.
There was an attempt to reword the Constitution last year to symbolically recognise the special status of both states, but it failed.
This is the only way to keep the federation together, however. The
federal leaders need to agree to recognise the special status of Sabah
and Sarawak and grant them wide autonomy in the Constitution, as
envisaged in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
The second option for the government is to play a wait-and-see game.
Politically, this is dangerous, as the final outcome could very well be
secession.
By way of comparison, the push for independence in Catalonia was similarly based on historical grievances that mushroomed into a mainstream political movement and eventually an independence referendum — declared illegal by Spain’s constitutional court.
At the very least, what is happening on the ground in East Malaysia
suggests the decolonisation process in Southeast Asia is not yet
complete. This colonial legacy is not merely history, but is clearly
reflected in the present reality.
My comments on: Flying old colonial flag or Malayan flag
(‘Unpatriotic’ to fly Sarawak’s old colonial flag, says
Abdul Karim - Borneo Post Online)
This idiot has lost
his touch of reality and plays blind and innocent to the truth of the formation
of Malaysia which is actually Malaya in disguise.The Agreement MA63 is considered void and
null from the very beginning.We were
arranged by the British power to federate with Malaya.The Malayan leaders at that time did not apply for a
new nation with the joining of Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore.But Malaya just changed the name to Malaysia
in the make-believe that a new country was born.
I wonder if
he has the knowledge of the chagos Island which has been claimed back by
Mauritius after a trial at the International Court of Justice.Sarawak and Sabah which are in the same boat
as the Chagos Island are elgible to self-determination to become a sovereign
country.
Tourism,
Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah pretends that he does
not know that Malayan government in actual fact is the colonialist, imperialist
and dominator.They have tried all ways
to plunder, exploit, oppress, suppress, rob and bully Sarawak.He has been one of the beneficiaries in the federation of Malaysia/Malaya
as they all belong to the political consortium enjoying all the benefits at the
expense of Sarawakians.
He has no
sense of Sarawak for Sarawakians.He has
been so submissive to the colonial masters.I have seen him rise to high official positions being eloquent in
protecting the rights as his political consortium. He is eloquent and very eloquent from this
article we have seen how he partially argued his points of patriotism and
unpatriotism based on his self-interested view.
Comparing
the formation of Malaysia/Malaya to the formation of the United States is like
making a camparision of a triangle to a square.It is out of context.First the
United States is made up of the states on the same piece of landmass.Look at us – Sarawak is 14,370 kilometres
away from Peninsular Malaya and we were arranged by crook or by hook by the British power which
actually had to decolonise us based on the United Nations decolonisation
resolution passed in 1960.But the
British government did it on the contrary and hence MA63 is a controversial
treaty in every sense.
I wonder why ….Abdul
Karim has not the least sense of this treaty of being illegal.He is ever-ready to lick shoes of the
colonial masters in order to please them for his own hidden agenda.He is so disgusting and traitor-minded.In other words, he is so Malaya-centric,
minded and oriented to be fitted as a Sarawakian. What a shame.How can we Sarawakians trust this kind of political thugs to take charge
of Sarawak affairs?He is so patriotic
to Malaya that he has lost his patriotism to Sarawak.Who is he here in Sarawak?
‘Unpatriotic’ to fly Sarawak’s old colonial flag, says Abdul Karim - Borneo Post Online
Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah
SAMARAHAN (Sept 2): Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul
Karim Rahman Hamzah has criticised Sarawakians who fly the state’s old
colonial flag, branding them as unpatriotic.
“When I go for a drive around Padungan I see a lot of shop houses
flying those old colonial flags. They don’t have a sense of patriotism.
Maybe they thought that we are still in colonial times.
“Im sorry, but I think they are not appreciative of the independence
that we have gained now,” he said, referring to a busy street in
Kuching.
Abdul Karim said this at the closing of the Samarahan District
Merdeka@Komuniti programme here this afternoon which was organised by
the Information Department.
Sarawak was under the rule of the White Rajah from 1848 until it was
ceded to the British government in 1946. It gained self-rule on July 22,
1963, a few months before the formation of Malaysia that same year.
Abdul Karim said Sarawakians, including political leaders, should
respect and accept August 31 as a symbolic day of independence for
Malaysia including Sarawak.
He said although historically Sarawak only joined Malaysia on
September 16, it had been agreed upon by Sarawak leaders during that
time that August 31 is the independence day of Malaysia as a whole.
“This should not have been an issue in the first place. I know certain leaders in the state also made an issue out of this.
“August 31 is a symbolic date that should be accepted as Malaysia’s
independence day, and for the unity of Malaysians,” Abdul Karim said.
He brought up the United States of America (USA) as an example, which celebrated July 4 as their independence day.
He said the USA has 50 states now, but when it gained independence on July 4, 1776, USA only had less than 10 states.
Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, said after two to three
years, more states started joining the USA, and now it has 50 states,
all united and together celebrating July 4 as their independence day.
“If we look at it based on the Sarawak issue, the USA should be
celebrating 50 different independence day dates. But that is not the
case because July 4 is a symbolic date accepted by all Americans,” he
said.
Also present were Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang, Stakan assemblyman
Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud and Information Department Sarawak director
Suwadi Guliling.
‘Peninsula folk should mark July 22 in same way
S’wakians mark Aug 31’
The Borneo Post1
Sep 2020
KUCHING:
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing expressed hope that
Peninsular Malaysians would mark Sarawak Independence Day in the same spirit
that Sarawakians celebrate the independence of their peninsula kin.
“We, in
Sarawak, celebrate Malaya’s happiness as a friend would celebrate a close
friend’s birthday and happiness. It’s my
hope that when July 22 arrives, Malaya would reciprocate the same warmth and
feelings for Sarawak. Friendship and understanding are a two-way traffic,” he
said in a statement issued yesterday in conjunction with National Day.
Masing
said that both Sarawak and Sabah share the pride of Peninsular Malaysia gaining
her independence from the British in 1957 and being able to stand on her own
two feet.
“I wish
Malaya a Happy 63rd Hari Merdeka,” he added.
My comments:
😀 Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing is the only one from BN-GPS who has some sense of patriotism towards Sarawak. Unlike Chief Minister Abang Johari who is so insensible that he takes the domination colonisation and imperialism of the Malayan government as a blessing to Sarawak. He insists that Sarawak should be in the federation of Malaysia (Malaya in disguise) forever, not knowing that 90% of Sarawakians want Sarawak to be independent and free.
I wonder how he can manage without the support of the mass. Many times he has declared openly his intention to stay in the federation acting against the will of Sarawakians in general. He is too complacent with his position as the chief minister of Sarawak which is open to the contest. Will he still be able to hold the office of chief minister of Sarawak after PRN12? I wonder!
