The birth of Sarawak Sovereignty Movement... the story

SARAWAK SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT LAUNCHED

On 17 April 2013 the Sarawak Sovereignty Movement was publicly launched in Kuching capital of Sarawak. This news was reported by the local and web based newspapers

It appears from the information released on their websites the Movement grew out of discussions on the Internet. The Movement was founded on 3^rd of March 2013.

One of the internet press statements on SSM Blogpage said “We get to know each other online and decided to stand out and make the voice loud to wake up our fellow folks and demanding our rights back!”.

[http://sarawaksovereigntymovement.blogspot.com.au/#!]

These rights referred to the terms and conditions for formation of Malaysia agreed to between 2 independent Malaya and Sarawak nations in the 18 Points Agreement 1962. The Points were based on the Nine Cardinal Principles of the 1941 Sarawak Constitution

[Link on 18 Points Agreement- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/18-point_agreement_(Sarawak)]

Readers may read more on SMM at these other links:

https://plus.google.com/100935675544557733227/posts

https://www.facebook.com/Home.At.Sarawak

SSM OBJECTIVES

At its inauguaration on 17 May 2013 two Internet comments were made on the SSM Blogpage to identify itself and its objectives:

One of the posted comments headlined:

“WHO WE ARE..........."

We, the anak anak bumi kenyalang after learning the hidden truth, the almost forgotten day, the day when Sarawak gained her independent, 22nd July 1963...

We had been fooled for the last 50 years, and adding salt to the wound, we lost our independence, our sovereignty!

We get to know each other online and decided to stand out and make the voice loud to wake up our fellow folks and demanding our rights back !”

Another blog statement said:

“SSM.......

Sarawak Sovereignty Movement, a small step to inculcate the need for Unity for Sarawakians to press their demands foe equality and a better future. We are pressing for Sarawak to be treated differently by Federal Malaya and reinstates it former Sovereignty status as an Independent Nation, which has become a partner in the formation of Malaysia.

Definitely, we are not the 13 states in the Malaya Federation of yesteryears or especially now. So, let us be an Autonomous State of Sarawak, in charge of our own destiny and future.

Let us be PRIBUMI in the Land of the Hornbill where we were born and raised. Let not acll ourselves by race, but remember our ancestral histories.

Let us be SARAWAKIAN Citizen of the future, in control of our life, resources and our children's future.

It it not much to ask for all to be United in Our Stand on this issue..

WAKE Up Sarawak..Let us Unite for this just cause..Autonomy!”

A statement dated 9 March 2013 credited to Ms.Lina Soo a member of SSM said a follows:

“How many of you know that we attained our independence from British rule on 22 July 1963?

SARAWAK INDEPENDENCE DAY – 22 JULY

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? Yes, this fact has been obliterated from Sarawak’s history and the reason is obvious:

‘The first thing colonial rule denies a people is their history’. The way Sarawak history has been sent into oblivion.

And yes, Sarawak is a society and a nation with its own unique history. Sarawak as a sovereign entity was carved out in 1842 when the Sultanate of Brunei ceded part of its territory to James Brooke for self-rule. Brooke dynastic rule governed Sarawak kingdom from 1841 to 1941. Sarawak was under Japanese Occupation from 1941 to 1945, and under British colonial rule from 1946 to 1963. The United States of America recognized Sarawak as a sovereign nation in 1850, Britain recognized Sarawak sovereignty in 1863 and also signed a “ protectorate” treaty in 1888.

What is the meaning of sovereignty? A sovereign entity means its government has full control over its affairs within its territory which includes the power to levy all its taxes, the right to vote on all laws and the right to enjoy its own resources.

On 22 July 1963, the Union Jack was lowered for the last time and Sarawak sovereignty was restored with the installation of Stephen Kalong Ningkan as the first Chief Minister of Sarawak complete with a fully-fledged cabinet, our own flag, our own anthem and our own currency. A secular state with our own Sarawak Constitution inked in 1941, a constitution which embodies the “fundamental political principles of a nation”.

55 days later, on 16 September 1963, Sarawak together with Singapore, North Borneo and the federated states of Malaya formed Malaysia.

As Sarawak commemorates its 50th year of independence on 22 July 1963, it is long overdue to pose two pertinent questions:

(1) Is Sarawak a sovereign entity or is it the 13th state of Malaysia (or 13th state of Malaya, what difference does it make)?

(2) Is the Malaysia Agreement 1963 inked between 5 sovereign nations – United
Kingdom, Singapore, North Borneo, Sarawak and federated states of Malaya still binding upon the signatories, or has MA63 lost its legitimacy amongst the signatory entities with the expulsion of Singapore in 1965?

Is this union called Malaysia still tenable at all by international standards propagated by UN?

Sarawakians and Friends of Sarawak, we urge you to be with us on Sunday, 21 July to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity in a peaceful and democratic conviction of Sarawak identity and dignity. Blue is our movement colour to symbolize patriotism, freedom and vigilance.