Written by Amde sidik
Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!
I am not sure whether we are born to be confused about the date of Malaysia's independent day. Raja Petra is one of the most critical blogger in his Malaysia today webpage but I think he is confused too.
Malaysia gained its independent not 49 years ago, the Malay Federated States was. Malaysia was formed together with two Borneo regions Sabah and Sarawak, officially announced of its independent in 1963. That is now 43 years ago.
There was a delay in proclamation day supposed to take place on 31st August, was extended to 16th September 1963. Thus, 16th September was the Independent's proclamation date for Sabah and Sarawak.
In order to conform with 31st August as Malaysia Independent Day, the 16th September was redesignated as the Head of State's Birthday for Sabah, otherwise far too complicated to explain to younger public.
It is alright, we would not argue with that change.
However, changing the date from 1963 to 1957 was a bit too much we are not telling the younger generation the right fact, I personally feel we are lying. In most cases I do not see any footnote for explanation either in any of our history textbook for schoolchildren.
Merdeka Nostalgia
In one of the occasions of Sabah joining Malaysia campaign, our first governor Tun Mustapha Datu Harun visited Sipitang. He was in Kampong Pantai, where he stayed for a night in one of schoolteacher's quarters.
He sat down on the floor with folded legs giving a talk why Sabah must merdeka together with Sarawak, Brunei, Singapore and Peninsular Malay States -formed Malaysia. I was sitting on my father's lap, I could not figure out of my age but I had not been to school yet.
I noticed one striking feature about Tun was, when he laughed - he laughed a loud with the rest usually by cracking joke but he stopped all of a sudden. When I met him at Mayfair Hotel in London in the late 80s I was just sitting next to him, I encountered the reminiscence because I was observing him very closely, said to me “You student don't be foolish Datuk Harris will cut off your scholarship” Next morning he sent me his lawyer by the name of Abd Razak to help drafted our assocation's constitution in London. We called our association Sabah National Association, now I lost the copy.
Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!
I am not sure whether we are born to be confused about the date of Malaysia's independent day. Raja Petra is one of the most critical blogger in his Malaysia today webpage but I think he is confused too.
Malaysia gained its independent not 49 years ago, the Malay Federated States was. Malaysia was formed together with two Borneo regions Sabah and Sarawak, officially announced of its independent in 1963. That is now 43 years ago.
There was a delay in proclamation day supposed to take place on 31st August, was extended to 16th September 1963. Thus, 16th September was the Independent's proclamation date for Sabah and Sarawak.
In order to conform with 31st August as Malaysia Independent Day, the 16th September was redesignated as the Head of State's Birthday for Sabah, otherwise far too complicated to explain to younger public.
It is alright, we would not argue with that change.
However, changing the date from 1963 to 1957 was a bit too much we are not telling the younger generation the right fact, I personally feel we are lying. In most cases I do not see any footnote for explanation either in any of our history textbook for schoolchildren.
Merdeka Nostalgia
In one of the occasions of Sabah joining Malaysia campaign, our first governor Tun Mustapha Datu Harun visited Sipitang. He was in Kampong Pantai, where he stayed for a night in one of schoolteacher's quarters.
He sat down on the floor with folded legs giving a talk why Sabah must merdeka together with Sarawak, Brunei, Singapore and Peninsular Malay States -formed Malaysia. I was sitting on my father's lap, I could not figure out of my age but I had not been to school yet.
I noticed one striking feature about Tun was, when he laughed - he laughed a loud with the rest usually by cracking joke but he stopped all of a sudden. When I met him at Mayfair Hotel in London in the late 80s I was just sitting next to him, I encountered the reminiscence because I was observing him very closely, said to me “You student don't be foolish Datuk Harris will cut off your scholarship” Next morning he sent me his lawyer by the name of Abd Razak to help drafted our assocation's constitution in London. We called our association Sabah National Association, now I lost the copy.
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