Painful Partnership.

Accidentally Colonized.

1. When Sarawak has agreed to “join” Federation of Malaysia in 1963 together with Singapore and Sabah, it was a better hope for the Sarawakian.

2. After the WWII, British was burdened by it colonies and releasing each one after another comprising of it colony in African Continent and Asia. Malaya was released in 1957 when the queen has agreed for Malaya independent.

3. Somehow, Sarawak and Sabah is still under colony together with Singapore. Both Sabah and Sarawak (Borneo) were still struggle with Communist insurgency as the communist ideology was spreading greatly to the South East Asia.  Winston Churchil was very worry and could not afford to lose the British Colonies into communist. Therefore, he thought that Sabah and Sarawak must be free from communism before it granted with independent.
 
4. During that time, Sabah was claimed by Philippine and Sarawak was on the spot of Sukarno, the Indonesian communist. Indonesia declared confrontation to the federation of Malaysia in 1962-1966. Then Sarawak needs an army in order to be saved. That is why Sarawak needs to join the Federation in September 16, 1963.   

5. Nevertheless, there are ups and downs during this long period of “partnership” with the Malaya. The two lands are divided by South China Sea and people hardly meet to talk and discuss the issue of the State.

6. Malaya believes in special right and supremacy of the Malay in peninsular. Then, the laws were made to protect the Malay and “bumiputera” was focusing on Malay in peninsular and keeps aside the needs and right of the bumiputera in Sabah in Sarawak. As Lee Kuan Yew (former PM of Singapore) truly believe in equality for all and liberalism, Singapore was expelled from Federation in 1965 when the small island is struggling with worst racial riot and clash.

7. Sarawak and Sabah remained in the Federation as the state needs protection and better government. Somehow, the Malaya needs to tighten it “partnership” by planting Malay idealism to Sabah and Sarawak. Sabah was so fragile when UMNO was step in and after the 6 June 1976 tragedy that killed Donald Stephen and other ministers at Sembulan air crash.

8. While Sarawak resisted UMNO, there are terms and conditions that allow Malay idealism to be incurred. The Dayak must be governed by the Malay. There are several occasions that lead to the downfall of the Dayak under the Malaya plan. First was the vote of no confident to the Dayak CM, Stephen Kalong Ningkan by Taib and the Malay which was granted by Tunku Abdul Rahman. Two, the de-registration of PBDS and Ming Court affair that gave advantages to Taib and his companion in Malaya (Mahathir). Now, PBB was under the Malay dominance although the Melanau Malay is the minority in the State.

9. However, there is no way to escape from the painful federation as the people are weakened by greed, money and titles. Even the most powerful Dayak can be bought for RM 50,000.00. Why should they thing of the people when there are government to take care of the Dayak?

10. The lost is not at the politicians who believe in corrupted government but at the side of the people who work and support the government policies. The people pay taxes but have faces inflation and the government is ignoring it.  Who to blame? Since our ancestor has agreed to Lord Cobbold, then we should endure to hardship and bitterness.