Kakus assemblyman Datuk John Sikie Tayai (left) and Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin arrive at the DUN Complex for the third day of the Sitting.
THE state government has been urged to be more active and aggressive in promoting awareness on four important documents that contain the rights and entitlements of Sarawak at the time of the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
The four documents according to Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew (BN-Piasau) during his debate yesterday was The Cobbold Commission, The Inter Governmental Committee, The Malaysia Agreement 1963 and The Malaysia Act 1963 (Chapter 35).
“As Sarawakians we must know our rights. Once we know our rights, we must promote awareness to as many Sarawakians as possible,” Ting said in his maiden speech at the august House.
By knowing the importance of the four documents, Sarawakians, he added, would be more aware on ways to protect their rights and ultimately reclaim those rights.
Many Sarawakians were unaware of the existence of the four documents as history books in the Malaysian education system had omitted and was continuing to omit them (four documents).
“Consequently, the true history of Sarawak and the formation of Malaysia have never been made known to our people and Malaysians as a whole. It is therefore a fair statement to say that Malaysians in Malaya will never know the true story of Sarawak and the formation of Malaysia,” he added.
On another note, Ting said SUPP had so far organised 10 political forums which were participated by about 1,500 people.
He also congratulated Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem for being successful in getting 13 administrative powers from the federal departments and transferring them to the state government.
“There will be more negotiations to be carried out for us to reclaim our autonomous powers. While we look forward to reclaiming more autonomous powers I urge the state government to employ more pragmatic means to preserve some of the autonomous powers already in our hands,” he added.
The Hudud Bill was also debated, which he said, after 53 years of the formation of Malaysia, the fundamental principles of a secular state was now being challenged and her foundation tested.
“The Private Bill introduced by PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang to enhance the Syariah Courts’ criminal jurisdiction will effectively make Malaysia an Islamic state. Hudud law may and will steadily replace the current criminal system based on rule or law and the Criminal Code used by all countries that run along democratic principles.
“ If the Hudud law is passed by Parliament, it is likely be the end of Malaysia as a secular state. Our leaders in Sarawak did not and would never have agreed to the formation of Malaysia had it known 50 years down the line that Malaysia will become an Islamic state,” he added.
He also said the Inter-Governmental Committee Report 1962 (IGC Report) was tasked to work out the future constitutional arrangements to safeguard certain special interests for Sarawak and North Borneo.
“From the IGC Report, it is very clear that besides the establishment of the Federation of Malaysia, the first and foremost matter concerns the committee was religious freedom,” said Ting, adding that the committee had also recommended that there should be a guarantee for religious freedom when the Federation of Malaysia was established.
He also suggested that a new ministry of religious affairs be established in Sarawak to make laws and policies to protect and uphold the religious freedom in Sarawak, to set up proper channels to assist Sarawakians in the national registration process, particularly when they have chosen to convert to other religions of their choice, to encourage understanding and unity among different religions, promote harmony and to oversee the welfare of different religious bodies, particularly the registration of religious bodies so that these bodies were entitled to state resources and support.