Syed Hamzah Wan Hamid Edruce
BINTULU (July 18): Waving the colonial flags or figures tarnishes the spirit of Sarawak’s independence, according to Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Syed Hamzah Datuk Wan Hamid Edruce.
“Yes, the colonial flag was lowered during Sarawak Independence Day on July, 22, 1963 and the Rajah era flag was hoisted again.
“Yes, history also records that the flag was flown until it was changed to the Trisakti flag in August 1971, the Sarawak flag that we use now began to be used in 1988. That is a historical fact that we do not deny and will not erase,” he said.
However, he noted that history also records that the Kingdom of Sarawak flag was designed from Brooke’s reign, and “we must not forget that the crown emblem in the middle of the Kingdom of Sarawak flag was added to the flag” after Sarawak was handed over to the British as a colony by Charles Vyner Brooke on Feb 8, 1946.
Syed Hamzah added that the handing over of Sarawak to the British was the cause of the rise of the Sarawak anti-cession movement which eventually led to the assassination of Sir Duncan Steward by the late Rosli Dhobi on Dec 4, 1949 in Sibu.
“Now, having known the meaning of the crown on the flag, do we still want to proudly fly the flag on July 22 on the basis of history that has shaped our future?” he asked.
“Are we still proud to fly the flag of the Sarawak Kingdom? It is better for all of us to encourage the people to fly the existing Sarawak flag than to support the flying of the old flag,” he stressed.