Yong (third left) and others holding up blank papers to denote the lack of freedom in speech.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans should never forget that our State was once a country from August 31, 1963, before the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Vice Youth Chief Yong Yit Yoong said the history and education on the formation of Malaysia was downplayed.
“The Federal Government should stop counting from 1957 and start counting from 1963 throughout Malaysia, not only in Sabah.”
Yong, who is also SAPP Supreme Councillor, said that during a Black Sunday 2.0 gathering organized by the party at Gaya Street here yesterday.
Around 30 people from various non-governmental organizations and local parties, including non-political parties, joined in the gathering.
“In the upcoming Sabah Independence Day, it is important for the people to remember that Sabah was once a country from August 31, 1963 before forming the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.”
Upon forming the Federation of Malaysia, Yong said all four of Sabah, Sarawak, Malaya and Singapore had agreed with the Malaysian Agreement 1963, which has been neglected by the Federal Government.
Whilst fighting for the rights as equal partners, he said Singapore was kicked out from the union leaving Sabah and Sarawak, still having confidence with the Federal Governments respect towards their autonomy.
However, Yong said the status of Sabah and Sarawak had diminished over the years to only one of the 13 states while the rights of Sabahans had also been taken away by the Federal Government.
He pointed out that the public education on Sabah as equal partner of Malaya, rather than a state, was little.
He urged the public to remember that Sabah has to fight for the Malaysian Agreement 1963 rights.
Yong said the fight for autonomy has been trending internationally, as shown by Scotland and United Kingdom, as well as Hong Kong and China.
“Sabahans must stand up and claim for their rights to have the power on education, economy and immigration in the State.”
He said the lack of power to control the immigrants had rendered Sabah powerless against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement that Sabahans had no rights in questioning the issue on immigrants.
On the reason the rally participants held blank papers, Yong explained that friends from the police force always warned them against speaking out about certain things.
“So I and my comrades discussed what we can actually talk about, and this is the result (blank paper), there is not much we can talk about.”
Meanwhile, SAPP Youth chief Jamain Sarudin said the party would be holding Sabah Day in Kundasang on August 31 this year.
He said the event not only aimed to boost the people’s confidence that Kundasang was safe to visit, but also boost the tourism in the area with a gathering of multiracial communities from all over Sabah.
“This is the beginning of a series to ignite the spirit of Sabahans and give them the confidence that we are able to move in tandem with peninsular states and Sarawak, if we are given the opportunities by the Federal (Government).”
On the response of the people towards the Black Sunday gathering, Jamain said the community was divided into several categories – those who watch television, those who read newspapers and those who go online.
He said the movement targeted people who are Internet and online application users, who made up the largest portion of the community.
Asked if the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia decided to block social media, Jamain said the ministry should shut down first because there would not be anything to manage after that.
“The ministry should shut down first before they close down the internet. But that will not be carried out,” he said.