Sarawak Independence Day is a public holiday in Sarawak, where it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. Longstanding tensions between East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia have some seeking autonomy – or even secession. Will the hornbill ever fly again to its desired heights and reign over the homeland? A presidential election in Kyrgyzstan and a parliamentary election in Kazakhstan kick off 2021 in Central Asia. AdvertisementMalaysia’s hornbill has reasons to fly low. Sarawakians want to remain shielded from being pushed around at the whim of ethnocentrist Malay politicians. Nevertheless, the vision of independence may simply be too radical to many members of all ethnic groups, who fear bloodshed or at least an intensified level of tensions. With excessively long land and water borders, Sarawakians would face a need to recruit foreigners to secure a hypothetical new country, an idea that goes against their home-crafted objective of Borneonization of public services. “The federal government under the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, has shown its commitment to the implementation of MA63, by establishing the special portfolio of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs, and this is a key to avoiding polarization or separatism,” he concluded. Asia, Central © 2021 Diplomat Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sarawak’s chief minister steps down with an impressive fortune, and a barrage of legal assaults. Of course, majority of Sarawakians supported the establishment of Malaysia according to a study by the Cobbold Commission. India finally has an investor-friendly image after almost a decade and should strive to maintain that. “July 22, 1963 is the day Sarawak was granted independence from the British rule. #RFF2018 Click here to subscribe for full access. View, About "[1], The movement believes that the terms and conditions for the formation of Malaysia gave Sarawak, North Borneo, Malaya, and Singapore the status of equal partners in the newly formed Malaysia, in 1963. For the current chief minister of Sarawak, Abang Jo, however, recent events are proof of the good relationship between the state and federal government. Can this buzz be for nothing? What led to the historic election result -- and where does Malaysia go from here? Longstanding tensions between East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia have some seeking autonomy – or even secession. Sarawak’s “Independence Day”. Aug 31, 1957 was the date that Malaya gained independence from the British rule. This is an open group and neither Sarawak Independence nor its admins are responsible for the content published on this page. Just $5 a month. That lies in the hands of all parties, including those that adorn their emblems with the picture of this magnificent bird but have mainly concentrated on achieving economic targets. Although it isn’t a gazetted public holiday, local newspapers over the preceding week highlighted the upcoming re-enactment of the independence ceremony, in which the last British Governor, Sir Alexander Waddell, formally handed sovereignty over to Tuan Haji Openg, the first … In 1944, he joined Service Reconnaissance Department, an underground movement based in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu). S4S is now just a background movement in Sarawak right now, no longer active. PBK president Voon Lee Shan appeared the most eager in advocating for the independence movement, as he pointed out that Sarawak had been at a disadvantage ever … We just want equality of all Sarawakians regardless of their races. Although many more are sympathetic, they are apprehensive about the cause. power can inadvertently shift politics even in regions like Central Asia where the United States is remote.”. “Because they were not raised in Sarawak [and] have never been exposed to our culture, this may adversely affect the […] Sarawak government, given the racism issue in the West Malaysia.”. In Sarawak the Independence movement clusters are growing bigger and I see them making inroads in to the DUN as the replacement to DAP and PKR especially in the Rajang basin. The plan “is set to shift the state toward the renewable energy and digital technologies,” while at the same time it embodies “the run towards becoming the region powerhouse,” according to Duke Freddie. This has put East Malaysia (the states of Sarawak and Sabah) on a completely different trajectory of development, making their citizens feel left behind. Although it wasn't a gazetted public holiday, the local newspapers over the preceding week highlighted the upcoming reenactment of the independence ceremony, in which the last British Governor Sir Alexander Waddell formally handed sovereignty over to Tuan Haji Openg, the first He holds a master’s degree in law. Next to this, the threat of being charged with sedition for proclaiming the goal of independence is simply shrugged off. Through Radio Free Sarawak, activists criticized the exploitation and expropriation of the natives by the associates of Sarawak’s billionaire, Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. Report, Trans-Pacific With its slogan “In Quest of Independence” it has already garnered a fair chunk of media attention. Although East Malaysians cherish the condition of being free from deep ethnic divisions, appeals for independence could erect new walls of mistrust, something that they would like to avoid at any cost. Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific. The decades-long tug-of-war between Sarawak, Sabah and West Malaysia was supposed to reach an end after revisiting the framework that shaped the federal relationship, but the government’s secrecy now is provoking many questions. Last Monday was the 50th anniversary of Sarawak independence from Britain. Malaysia’s hornbill has reasons to fly low. He resigned his job to join the Sarawak Constabulary from 1940 to 1946. And seemingly there is a fortune to die for. In the opinion of Duke Freddie, a Bornean policy analyst, the current Abang Jo-led coalition government (Gabungan Parti Sarawak, GPS) is “most likely to win based on the current trend,” but a new opposition party championing the indigenous Dayak communities (The United Sarawak Party, PSB) should also be reckoned with. In 2017, the government completed the $615 million acquisition of the Bakun Hydroelectric Plant (HEP), the largest hydropower plant in Malaysia. Us, Write A trial is ongoing, but behind closed doors, while citizens complain of unfair distribution of promised compensation. First, with all abundant resources both in land and the sea, Sarawak maybe grow into a powerhouse economy in Southeast Asia. 56th Sarawak Independence Day Night Run « All Events. A Sarawak Independence Day Rally on Sunday 22 July, organized by Sarawak Sovereignty Movement Sarawakians and Friends of Sarawak, how many of you know that we attained our independence from British rule on 22 July 1963? Despite being a relatively new political force, the PBK plans to contest all 82 seats in the state election, which are due in June 2021. But squeezing profits out of all the natural resources that the world’s third-largest island possesses has become, in the eyes of environmentalists, the epitome of an aggressive policy of logging and land grabs. KUCHING, Jan 20 -- Kuching division, with a land mass of 4,560 sq km, which is bigger than the states of Perlis, Melaka and Penang combined, provides a tremendous challenge, as well as opportunities for development initiatives in a big way. Sarawak is one of the partners that form Malaysia. KUCHING, Sept 2: The aim to move the Sarawak Independence Referendum Ordinance in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) is what is motivating the S4S movement to run for political office. The Catalan movement in Spain and its strong push for independence by way of a referendum in 2017 is a prime example how historical grievances, … Sabah Sarawak Union - United Kingdom. “Some people have long desired secession, and in recent years the drumbeat of separation has only grown louder,” he explained, naming Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) as the first movement of this sort to have burgeoned as early as 2012. KUCHING: Celebrating Sarawak Day, Sarawak Association for People's Aspiration (Sapa) has urged the Federal Government to restore the state’s rights and status under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 or face rising independence sentiment among Sarawakians. “As a result, the politicians from outside could run in the state elections,” he warned, stressing that Sarawakians do not want them to interfere, and stir problems on ethnic grounds. Photo by Robert Bociaga. “U.S. "Sarawak - my pride." 22 July 1963 … Other critics pointed out in addition that Sarawak gets the money risk-free because they are not involved in the development and operations of the hydrocarbon assets. “The report may [contain] some extraordinary rights [for Sarawakians]. On the other hand, Sarawak’s Muslim Malay community, forming 26 percent of the population, may be scared of losing the support of politicians from Peninsular Malaysia as the federal government has always emphasized Malays’ rights and priorities. On the contrary, GPS takes credit for what they call a sustainable and eco-friendly economic plan, introduced as the Post-COVID-19 Exit Economic Strategy. Sarawak was an independent entity for the following 55 days before it joined Malaysia to end its shortlived independence. S4S spokesperson Lucas Chin pointed out in a press conference today that July 22 has been gazetted as … The 57 years of the union has prompted many netizens of the State of Sarawak, of which this tropical bird is the symbol, to review the agreements that promised them fair treatment.… However should PSB make a clear case to the electorate they can easily pick up the 7 seats there and shore up with another 5-7 seats to become the largest most formidable opposition party Sarawak has ever seen. The federal government, having a very thin majority, needs to concede or dissolve. “It is indeed a shocking move by Sarawak ruling alliance to plan to amend ‘resident definition,’” said Ting of the PBK. Once reputed as fearsome headhunters, they are capable of chasing the federal forces away. Between 1976 and 2017, Sarawak received about $8.1 billion out of $162 billion in revenue. Photo by Robert Bociaga. Does the Joko Widodo government have nuclear aspirations? In addition to the perennial question of regional autonomy, the result could play into the ongoing political turmoil in Kuala Lumpur. Sarawakians remain resentful of the fact that most of the oil and gas royalties have been flowing to Peninsular Malaysia. Could there be a Sarexit movement in store for the East Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak? The official Sarawak Independence Day public holiday was gazetted by the government of Sarawak in 2016 to raise awareness about Sarawak's … The Sarawak Sovereignty Movement or SSM is an apolitical civil movement which was officially launched in Kuching, Sarawak on 13 April 2013. If the federal government publish[es] it, it may [lose some of] its controlling power or would have to restore certain rights to Sarawak and Sabah – [that’s why they are so] reluctant to do it at this stage,” warned Leslie Ting, a member of the Sarawakian political party Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK). We are not militants or extremists. Enjoying this article? For the sake of avoiding backlash (be it at home in Sarawak or from the federal government), many ethnic Chinese may prefer to stick to their old strategy of reforming the federation by standard democratic means. The organisation was also present and involved with various carnivals and events intended to celebrate Malaysia Day in 2013. Let’s Run ！Sarawak. Sarawak Independence Day in Malaysia Is Sarawak Independence Day a Public Holiday? It will fall to the Biden administration to deal with the consequences of Pompeo’s statement on the crackdown in Xinjiang. PBK president Voon Lee Shan appeared the most eager in advocating for the independence movement, as he pointed out that Sarawak had been at a disadvantage ever since the formation of Malaysia in 1963. The movement is in its infancy, its current support base composed of urban non-Muslim professional and business people, numbering in the hundreds. Power, Crossroads Civil society organizations and members of the European Parliament alike are objecting to the deal amid China's continuing crackdowns in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. What lies behind these demands and what are the chances of fulfilling them? The State of Sarawak is endowed with abundant natural resources, yet to the dismay of the majority of its people the generated income gets transferred to West Malaysia (also called Peninsular Malaysia or Semenanjung). “When the UN team were in Sarawak, they were met with numerous demonstrations, protests and objections including “Sarawak Want Independence Not Malaysia” but, unsurprisingly, to produce the “right results”, the contrary was concluded by the UN team saying that … Robert Bociaga is a traveling photojournalist specializing in international affairs. Aspiring candidate for Batu A ferry on the Rajang River, which flows through the central region of Sarawak to the lands inhabited by the indigenous people. Whether the independence movement can count on the votes of the indigenous people is still uncertain, admits Ting. [3], "Money and a lot of it is key to winning Sarawak elections", Working towards reinstating Sarawak’s sovereignty, "Numerous Events Organised For Sarawak Independence Celebration", "Civil movement to call for self-government, nationhood for Malaysia's Sarawak", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarawak_Sovereignty_Movement&oldid=934374671, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 January 2020, at 05:12. So why does it keep tightening restrictions, despite the heavy cost? It became a Crown Colony after World War II, leading to major protests by the Sarawakian citizens who wanted the country to be independent. When asked about the non-secession clause in the Constitution, the PBK politicians evoke the examples of Kosovo and Rhodesia, which issued unilateral declarations of independence. Before Mahathir Mohamad’s reformist government lost power in 2020, it had snuffed out the hope of fulfilling his promise of raising Sarawak’s oil royalty from 5 percent to 20 percent, explaining in the end that it was not workable and would strip Petronas of its status as the world’s third largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. The future of U.S.-ROK relations depends on the United States understanding the priorities of South Korea’s now-dominant liberals. This event has passed. Gulf states like Bahrain and the UAE are using a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine, highlighting a new type of cooperation with China. Malaysia according to a study by the indigenous people is still uncertain, admits ting further the cause minister. This page the archipelago the federal system all Events shrugged off of comes. Slogan “ in Quest of independence ” it has two possibilities of unfair distribution of promised compensation 162! 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