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| Adenan |
The state joined the Federation after it had attained self-government and upon being granted independence by Britain under the terms of the Malaysia Agreement. Thus, Sarawak can never be equated to any state in Peninsular Malaysia (formerly Malaya), said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in his winding-up speech yesterday.
“The discussions with the federal government is not to seek for powers which constitutionally belong to the federal government but to reclaim those state powers and rights wrongly encroached upon by the federal authorities based upon the principle of ‘render to Caesar what is Caesar’s’,” said Adenan.
He further said the foundation for the Federation of Malaysia is the special constitutional safeguards for the interests and territorial boundaries of the states of Sabah and Sarawak, and it is a matter of historical record, that without these safeguards, Sabah and Sarawak would not have joined in the formation of Malaysia and Britain would not have agreed to the creation of the Federation.
This foundation should never be undermined; and in fact, should be strengthened to sustain national solidarity and to propel Malaysia to greater prosperity and progress towards a high income economy, he pointed out.
Adenan spoke at length on the state’s autonomy and devolution of power, touching on various laws to support the issue.
He reminded the august house of the Proclamation of Sarawak’s Independence by the first Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan, at the Central Padang on Sept 16, 1963.
The Proclamation declared Sarawak’s independence from Colonial rule, to fulfil one of the cardinal principles of the Brooke rule, that is, that the people of Sarawak will govern themselves and be in complete control of their own destiny.
Sarawak obtained self-government on July 22, 1963 which is now Sarawak Day, upon the appointment of a Sarawakian as Chief Minister, and a Supreme Council comprising members of the State Legislative Council.
The formation of Malaysia was achieved when the British government, Malayan government and the then governments of Sarawak, North Borneo (Sabah) and Singapore signed the Malaysia Agreement on July 9, 1963.
The states of Malaya were not parties to the Agreement.
The Proclamation clearly stated that Sarawak, North Borneo and Singapore were federated with the Federation of Malaya.
Sarawak became part of the Federation and not a state like any other states in the former Federation of Malaya.
Therefore, Sarawak, like Sabah, must have greater degree of executive, legislative and financial autonomy in comparison with the other states in Peninsular Malaysia.
“I must re-iterate, therefore, on Malaysia Day, Sarawak emerged from British colonial rule, did not simply become a colony of Malaya.
Sarawak was a self-governing country who agreed to be a partner in the formation of a new federation, called Malaysia,” stressed Adenan.
On the Malaysia Agreement, he said it contains the terms for Sarawak and Sabah to join the Federation of Malaya so as to form Malaysia, and stipulated the safeguards for the special interests of Sarawak and Sabah so that these states do not become like one of the states in the old Federation of Malaya.
The Malaysia Act was passed to amend various Articles of the Federal Constitution and the Immigration Act was passed to entrench the rights of the Borneo states to control entry into and residence into these states.
Therefore, the terms and safeguards for Sarawak to join Malaysia are clearly spelt out in the Malaysia Agreement, the Federal Constitution which contains and entrenched the rights and safeguards for Sarawak, passed by Parliament before Malaysia Day, The Malaysia Act 1963, and the recommendations in the Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGC Report) which was annexed to the Malaysia Agreement and the government of the Federation and Sarawak and Sabah agreed to take whatever legislative, administrative and executive actions to fully implement those recommendations to safeguard the special interests of Sarawak and Sabah which have not already been incorporated into the Federal Constitution after Malaysia Day.
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