Keningau Oath Stone a symbol of Sabah’s conditions in Malaysia’s formation

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KOTA KINABALU: A 50-year-old ‘monolith’ that sits in interior Keningau bears meaningful memories on the birth of Malaysia some five decades ago.

This monolith is no ordinary stone, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, said that the two-tonne monolith is a symbol wherein the conditions set by the natives in Sabah to accept the formation of Malaysia in 1963 was cast.

Kurup said there were three conditions ‘written’ on the stone, or better known as Batu Sumpah (Oath Stone) – that there is to be freedom of religion, that the Sabah Government has full powers on matters related to its land, and that the Sabah traditions and cultures must be respected and preserved by the government.

“These are the basis for the people’s acceptance to join Malaya and Sarawak to form a nation called Malaysia,” said Kurup, when responding to questions from the Marang MP and the Mas Gading MP at the Dewan Rakyat.

The two MPs had urged the government to take steps to foster better rapport and strengthen the unity between Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya.

Kurup explained that the Batu Sumpah Peringatan Keningau is a reminder to Sabahans on their acceptance for the formation of Malaysia after the Federal Government had agreed to the three conditions stated on the historical stone, and that it is respected and preserved forever before absorbing it into the Constitution.

“This will be the main basis to strengthen unity between Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya,” he said.