Lest we forget, says Chief Minister

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Adenan calls for proper documentation of modern history of the state, wants past recorded for future generations

Adenan (second left) is seen together with Taib (left) taking a good look at one of the pictures in the gallery. Also seen from right are Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and Toh Puan Ragad Kurdi Taib. — Photo by Jeffery Mostapa

KUCHING: The modern history of Sarawak, beginning 1963, should be well documented, including in books, lest the contributions of past leaders and happenings are forgotten.

However, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem noted that the modern history of Sarawak was not well covered in books.

“From 1963 onwards, many things happened: from independence to confrontation, communist insurgency, Ming Court affair, political turmoil, and et cetera, but they are not well recorded.

“This is for the future generations so that they do not take things for granted. If we forget our history, we may lose the future,” he said on Thursday before Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud performed the earth-breaking ceremony for Museum of Modern Sarawak (MMS) near Astana here.

Taking the event as an example, the chief minister said, “Today, we are making history because we have the first earth-breaking ceremony at night.”

The proposed museum would showcase the state’s rich history, such as the sacrifices of past and present leaders, including all heads of state and chief ministers.

There were five heads of state before Taib, namely Tun Abang Openg, who was appointed between 1963 and 1969, Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Bujang Tuanku Othman (1969-1977), Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin (1977-1981), Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya’kub (1981-1985), Tun Datuk Patinggi Ahmad Zaidi Adruce (1985-2000), and Salahuddin took office for a second time (2001-2014).

On the chief ministers, Adenan said what the late Stephen Kalong Ningkan predicted 51 years ago had come to pass.

“On Sarawak’s Merdeka Day, Stephen Kalong Ningkan said: ‘Today, Sarawak is entering a new era in its history. It is an independent self-governing state; it stands on the threshold of a promising future, a future that needs in full the loyal cooperation of every one of its citizens.’”

Adenan also quoted Taib’s Merdeka message: “The challenge to us now, as a self-governing state, is to preserve our ways of peace and harmony and to uphold the freedom that goes with democracy.

“If we are to keep this country of ours as the paradise of peace that it has always been, we should now unite and work together. We should sink our political difference beneath the realisation that we all owe Sarawak our undivided loyalty and that our whole future depends so much on our efforts to build up a united and happy people. Sarawak owes its present achievements to the contribution of all the various races that she has.

“We have a great deal more to gain by uniting and sharing our triumphs and troubles together than by fighting each other to satisfy our greed and narrow racialism.

“The backbone of any
nation is the common people, who work and labour for it, that is you and I, everyone in the country. A nation can only enjoy its independence if it has economic stability and a fair share of prosperity for at least the great majority of its people.”

Adenan said Sarawak must have political stability to start everything, and harmony to start programmes.

“Only after 1970, when we formed the coalition government and the communists surrendered in 1973, did we enjoy political peace and develop the state. In the end, it is the people that matter.”

He commended Taib for his tremendous contributions in dragging the state out of the economic backwaters to what it is today.

“Seldom do I come across someone who became the executive chief of a state for 33 years. You have set the record.”

Adenan advised Sarawakians to look forward with confidence and to always remember the legacy of past leaders.

“We do not do them justice if we do not continue what they have done or learn from what they have done.”