Why are we promoting the colonial flag? Naroden asks

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Colonial flags flying outside a building in Padungan yesterday.

Colonial flags flying outside a building in Padungan yesterday.

KUCHING: The state flag, not the Sarawak colonial flag, should be used to celebrate the state’s Independence Day on July 22.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais said he was puzzled why the old colonial flag was used during recent events to celebrate the state’s 53th Year of Independence from colonial rule.

“It (July 22) historically marked the day Sir Alexander Waddell, then Governor of Sarawak, handed over the administration to Sarawak’s first self government, headed by first Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan,” he told The Borneo Post recently.

He added that the date July 22 was highly significant to Sarawakians as it formed part of the state’s history and marked the beginning of its political and development evolution until the formation of Malaysia.

“But I was a bit puzzled why certain groups distributed flags, placards, and T-shirts with symbols of Sarawak’s colonial flags.

“Are we not celebrating independence from British colonialism?”

In celebrating independence, Sarawakians should be lowering the colonial flags and hoisting the state flag.

“We are not living in the 50s anymore, and we have been part of a bigger nation for more than 50 years already.”

Naroden agreed that Sarawakians should continue to fight for more autonomy, more funds, and more recognition from the federal government because the state had been a key partner in the formation of Malaysia.

“Yes, we can do this (fighting for Sarawak’s rights) because we are already part of Malaysia, and therefore, we should be striving to achieve whatever we have agreed on with our partners … even asking for more so that we can be at par, if not better, than Peninsular Malaysia.

“The question is – why are we promoting the colonial flag? Do we want to go back to British rule again?”