S4S spokesperson Lucas Chin pointed out in a press conference today that July 22 has been gazetted as … A ferry on the Rajang River, which flows through the central region of Sarawak to the lands inhabited by the indigenous people. Although East Malaysians cherish the condition of being free from deep ethnic divisions, appeals for independence could erect new walls of mistrust, something that they would like to avoid at any cost. Of course, majority of Sarawakians supported the establishment of Malaysia according to a study by the Cobbold Commission. It also produce almos … Disclaimer: This page is dedicated to further the cause of Sarawak Independence. The state’s ethnic and religious distinctiveness also serves as the foundation of a separate identity. Once reputed as fearsome headhunters, they are capable of chasing the federal forces away. “The report may [contain] some extraordinary rights [for Sarawakians]. Compromising almost 30 percent of the state population, the Ibans could eventually make the secession dream come true. Longstanding tensions between East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia have some seeking autonomy – or even secession. Between 1976 and 2017, Sarawak received about $8.1 billion out of $162 billion in revenue. Sarawak Day celebrates the state's self governance after 120 years under foreign rule. The emergence of a much more contagious variant of COVID-19 comes as Australia rolls out vaccines. 22 July 1963 … The 57 years of the union has prompted many netizens of the State of Sarawak, of which this tropical bird is the symbol, to review the agreements that promised them fair treatment. “Because they were not raised in Sarawak [and] have never been exposed to our culture, this may adversely affect the […] Sarawak government, given the racism issue in the West Malaysia.”. Aspiring candidate for Batu Could there be a Sarexit movement in store for the East Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak? The others are Malaya and Sabah. We just want equality of all Sarawakians regardless of their races. In 1841, the kingdom of Sarawak was given independence by the Sultan of Brunei but it fell under British control in 1888. Malaysia’s vibrant ethnic Chinese community also wants to shape the country’s politics. Sarawak is one of the partners that form Malaysia. Longstanding tensions between East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia have some seeking autonomy – or even secession. The Sarawak Sovereignty Movement or SSM is an apolitical civil movement which was officially launched in Kuching, Sarawak on 13 April 2013. Asia, Pacific Recently renewed debate over the issue of the control of East Malaysia’s people and resources was stirred up when the government decided to block public release of a Cabinet special committee report on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which is the founding agreement of the Malaysian federation. The Legislative Assembly (DUNS) in Kuching, Sarawak, consists of 82 members, making it the largest state legislature in Malaysia. This caused hundreds of Malay civil servants to resign in protest, sparking an anti-cession movement and the assassination of the second colonial governor of Sarawak Sir Duncan Stewart. Mega Menu [Links Content]-links; Mega Menu [Tabbed Style]-mtab/News,Official Statement,Expose The Truth,History,International,Video We are not militants or extremists. Sarawak’s parties are race-based, but their political agenda has never come at the expense of non-native groups. The State of Sarawak is endowed with abundant natural resources, yet to the dismay of the majority of its people the generated income gets transferred to West Malaysia (also called Peninsular Malaysia or Semenanjung). Importantly, Sarawak has a population of just slightly above 2.6 million in territory almost equal in size to Peninsular Malaysia, which accommodates roughly 10 times more inhabitants – 92 percent of the whole nation. Sarawak’s chief minister steps down with an impressive fortune, and a barrage of legal assaults. North Korea insists there have been no coronavirus cases in the country. Yet, since Sarawak gained its independence by … This event has passed. Just $5 a month. The federal government would not also sit with folded hands when it has the army at its disposal. Sabah Sarawak Union - United Kingdom. With its slogan “In Quest of Independence” it has already garnered a fair chunk of media attention. [2], The Sarawak Sovereignty Movement and Borneo Heritage Foundation have co-operated in a series of Sarawak and Sabah Merdeka celebrations. In addition to the perennial question of regional autonomy, the result could play into the ongoing political turmoil in Kuala Lumpur. He resigned his job to join the Sarawak Constabulary from 1940 to 1946. The decades-long tug-of-war between Sarawak, Sabah and West Malaysia was supposed to reach an end after revisiting the framework that shaped the federal relationship, but the government’s secrecy now is provoking many questions. Although it wasn't a gazetted public holiday, the local newspapers over the preceding week highlighted the upcoming reenactment of the independence ceremony, in which the last British Governor Sir Alexander Waddell formally handed sovereignty over to Tuan Haji Openg, the first Power, Crossroads The 57 years of the union has prompted many netizens of the State of Sarawak, of which this tropical bird is the symbol, to review the agreements that promised them fair treatment.… A trial is ongoing, but behind closed doors, while citizens complain of unfair distribution of promised compensation. Let’s celebrate Sarawak Independence Day with our mysterious DJ who … Asia, Southeast Sarawak’s “Independence Day”. The idea appears to write a handbook on how to go towards independence base on the ground work we carry out as well as online campaign on Sarawak Independence Agenda PRN12 We are more on hands on in carrying out Sarawak independence movement, it’s an ongoing process base on exercising of our Self Determination right, as per Resolution 1514 United Nations Declaration 1960 Although many more are sympathetic, they are apprehensive about the cause. Aug 31, 1957 was the date that Malaya gained independence from the British rule. Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific. Will the hornbill ever fly again to its desired heights and reign over the homeland? The future of U.S.-ROK relations depends on the United States understanding the priorities of South Korea’s now-dominant liberals. The organisation was also present and involved with various carnivals and events intended to celebrate Malaysia Day in 2013. For now, their support is spread across many parties. Although the PBK has become highly vocal in its plans to demand secession from the Federation of Malaysia, there are many rough waves on their horizon to navigate through. “The federal government under the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, has shown its commitment to the implementation of MA63, by establishing the special portfolio of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs, and this is a key to avoiding polarization or separatism,” he concluded. Even though Sarawak has a plan for reforestation and reforming the native customary rights, there’s cause to skeptical about the execution of these noble goals. Robert Bociaga is a traveling photojournalist specializing in international affairs. Click here to subscribe for full access. It will fall to the Biden administration to deal with the consequences of Pompeo’s statement on the crackdown in Xinjiang. "Sarawak - my pride." For the sake of avoiding backlash (be it at home in Sarawak or from the federal government), many ethnic Chinese may prefer to stick to their old strategy of reforming the federation by standard democratic means. It has metal, oil, gas, and a lot amount of water for the industry. 56th Sarawak Independence Day Night Run « All Events. The federal government, having a very thin majority, needs to concede or dissolve. A woman was found guilty of violating the lese majeste law for posting audio clips to Facebook and YouTube with comments deemed critical of the monarchy. A presidential election in Kyrgyzstan and a parliamentary election in Kazakhstan kick off 2021 in Central Asia. The 57 years of the union has prompted many netizens of the Through Radio Free Sarawak, activists criticized the exploitation and expropriation of the natives by the associates of Sarawak’s billionaire, Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud. He explained, "We are a civil movement and apolitical. Does the Joko Widodo government have nuclear aspirations? Photo by Robert Bociaga. PBK president Voon Lee Shan appeared the most eager in advocating for the independence movement, as he pointed out that Sarawak had been at a disadvantage ever since the formation of Malaysia in 1963. India finally has an investor-friendly image after almost a decade and should strive to maintain that. The reason, other than oil, resources, Taib Mahmud, that Sarawak wants to get out of Malaysia is the Malaysian society itself, especially, the Malayan society. Negotiating a payment of over $700 million from Petronas, which is wholly owned by the Malaysian government, has become a notch on their belt. keep this in mind when dealing with the independence movement there. KUCHING, Sept 2: The aim to move the Sarawak Independence Referendum Ordinance in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) is what is motivating the S4S movement to run for political office. Enjoying this article? Defense, China 56th Sarawak Independence Day Night Run. for Us. He was the Police Constable in the year 1942. And seemingly there is a fortune to die for. [3], "Money and a lot of it is key to winning Sarawak elections", Working towards reinstating Sarawak’s sovereignty, "Numerous Events Organised For Sarawak Independence Celebration", "Civil movement to call for self-government, nationhood for Malaysia's Sarawak", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarawak_Sovereignty_Movement&oldid=934374671, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 January 2020, at 05:12. What lies behind these demands and what are the chances of fulfilling them? Ting envisions, however, that freezing all assets of Malaya in Sarawak would bring the federal government swiftly to the negotiation table. In the opinion of Duke Freddie, a Bornean policy analyst, the current Abang Jo-led coalition government (Gabungan Parti Sarawak, GPS) is “most likely to win based on the current trend,” but a new opposition party championing the indigenous Dayak communities (The United Sarawak Party, PSB) should also be reckoned with. “In order to secure more revenues for the state, the only way to do it is through the independence of Sarawak. Watch SARAWAK: A MOVEMENT - a video featuring the diverse game-changers of Sarawak sharing their pride and love for their state. Sarawakians remain resentful of the fact that most of the oil and gas royalties have been flowing to Peninsular Malaysia. Let’s Run ！Sarawak. Based in Southeast Asia, he focuses on economic and social issues around culture change, urbanization, political marginalization, poverty, religion, and destruction of nature. Sarawak was an independent entity for the following 55 days before it joined Malaysia to end its shortlived independence. “July 22, 1963 is the day Sarawak was granted independence from the British rule. When asked about the non-secession clause in the Constitution, the PBK politicians evoke the examples of Kosovo and Rhodesia, which issued unilateral declarations of independence. What led to the historic election result -- and where does Malaysia go from here? Last Monday was the 50th anniversary of Sarawak independence from Britain. Malaysia’s hornbill has reasons to fly low. View, About Before Mahathir Mohamad’s reformist government lost power in 2020, it had snuffed out the hope of fulfilling his promise of raising Sarawak’s oil royalty from 5 percent to 20 percent, explaining in the end that it was not workable and would strip Petronas of its status as the world’s third largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. Sabah Sarawak Union-United Kingdom (SSU-UK) is an Independence Movement that has been registered as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) “The independence movement has already started here,” he told a crowd gathered at Padang Merdeka here on Monday (July 22) to mark the state’s independence day that was organised by Sapa and the Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) movement. Malaysia’s hornbill has reasons to fly low. Another controversy has been posed by a legislative motion that would strip Sarawak of its existent rights to determine the state’s immigration policy. “U.S. First, with all abundant resources both in land and the sea, Sarawak maybe grow into a powerhouse economy in Southeast Asia. If the federal government publish[es] it, it may [lose some of] its controlling power or would have to restore certain rights to Sarawak and Sabah – [that’s why they are so] reluctant to do it at this stage,” warned Leslie Ting, a member of the Sarawakian political party Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK). © 2021 Diplomat Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Sarawak Independence Day Rally on Sunday 22 July, organized by Sarawak Sovereignty Movement Sarawakians and Friends of Sarawak, how many of you know that we attained our independence from British rule on 22 July 1963? The Nirvana Route: How early encounters between India, China and Southeast Asia shaped Asian civilization. "[1], The movement believes that the terms and conditions for the formation of Malaysia gave Sarawak, North Borneo, Malaya, and Singapore the status of equal partners in the newly formed Malaysia, in 1963. In 1944, he joined Service Reconnaissance Department, an underground movement based in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu). July 21, 2019 @ 7:30 am - 11:00 pm. Asia, South Whether the independence movement can count on the votes of the indigenous people is still uncertain, admits Ting. It became a Crown Colony after World War II, leading to major protests by the Sarawakian citizens who wanted the country to be independent. Sarawak Independence Day in Malaysia Is Sarawak Independence Day a Public Holiday? Sarawak Independence Day (also known as Hari Kemerdekaan Sarawak, Hari Sarawak or Sarawak Day) is a holiday observed on 22 July every year by the state of Sarawak in Malaysia, celebrating the establishment of self-government and de facto independence on 22 July 1963. On the other hand, Sarawak’s Muslim Malay community, forming 26 percent of the population, may be scared of losing the support of politicians from Peninsular Malaysia as the federal government has always emphasized Malays’ rights and priorities. As the pandemic exacerbates poverty rates among single mothers, the shortcomings of womenomics reforms are on full display. Ostensibly, amid an ongoing political crisis, there could not be a better time to push for reforms of the federal system. In 2017, the government completed the $615 million acquisition of the Bakun Hydroelectric Plant (HEP), the largest hydropower plant in Malaysia. Civil society organizations and members of the European Parliament alike are objecting to the deal amid China's continuing crackdowns in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. KUCHING, Jan 20 -- Kuching division, with a land mass of 4,560 sq km, which is bigger than the states of Perlis, Melaka and Penang combined, provides a tremendous challenge, as well as opportunities for development initiatives in a big way. Southeast So why does it keep tightening restrictions, despite the heavy cost? July 22 is ‘Sarawak Independence Day’, not ‘Sarawak Day’ — S4S. Nevertheless, the vision of independence may simply be too radical to many members of all ethnic groups, who fear bloodshed or at least an intensified level of tensions. But not every Sarawakian shares these worries. This has put East Malaysia (the states of Sarawak and Sabah) on a completely different trajectory of development, making their citizens feel left behind. Sarawak Sovereignty Movement spokesman Dato Morshidi Abdul Rahman said that the people had "had enough of the lop-sided development between the peninsula and Sarawak", and that something needed to be done about it. Portrayed as imported components of the nation’s ethnic fabric that were not always loyal to the host country (due to the involvement of some of ethnic Chinese in the communist insurgency), Chinese Malaysians are also not represented in the current federal government that came into being in February 2020. “I would say, it is a lot easier now for the GPS government and other Sarawak-based political parties to bargain more… The state is becoming more assertive.”, In fact, “the Sarawak leaders seem unwaveringly firm and their spirit to demand for autonomy for the betterment [of] and long-term benefits to the state and its people is something to look forward to.”. “Some people have long desired secession, and in recent years the drumbeat of separation has only grown louder,” he explained, naming Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) as the first movement of this sort to have burgeoned as early as 2012. KUCHING, July 20: “Sarawak Independence Day” on July 22 should not be called as “Sarawak Day”, said Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S). This is an open group and neither Sarawak Independence nor its admins are responsible for the content published on this page. “Our forefathers were right when they wanted Sarawak to gain its independence before negotiating with Malaya or Singapore to form the federation.” Francis … Can this buzz be for nothing? power can inadvertently shift politics even in regions like Central Asia where the United States is remote.”. But is the independence the path toward safeguarding the status quo? Money, Tokyo The plan “is set to shift the state toward the renewable energy and digital technologies,” while at the same time it embodies “the run towards becoming the region powerhouse,” according to Duke Freddie. Other critics pointed out in addition that Sarawak gets the money risk-free because they are not involved in the development and operations of the hydrocarbon assets. The movement is in its infancy, its current support base composed of urban non-Muslim professional and business people, numbering in the hundreds. The announcement comes as confirmed COVID-19 infections continue to spike across the archipelago. Asia, Central Gulf states like Bahrain and the UAE are using a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine, highlighting a new type of cooperation with China. In Sarawak the Independence movement clusters are growing bigger and I see them making inroads in to the DUN as the replacement to DAP and PKR especially in the Rajang basin. Us, Write Chin (seated centre) giving a press conference with another leader William Mangor (to his right). Sarawak Independence has 4,418 members. “As a result, the politicians from outside could run in the state elections,” he warned, stressing that Sarawakians do not want them to interfere, and stir problems on ethnic grounds. Sarawak Independence Day is a public holiday in Sarawak, where it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. However should PSB make a clear case to the electorate they can easily pick up the 7 seats there and shore up with another 5-7 seats to become the largest most formidable opposition party Sarawak has ever seen. “It is indeed a shocking move by Sarawak ruling alliance to plan to amend ‘resident definition,’” said Ting of the PBK. “High-energy industries bring, however, more than potential profit – critics argue that the impact of the dams on Sarawak’s environment and indigenous communities [has been] devastating,” wrote Kara Moses in an article. Asia, Asia Last Monday (22 July 2013) was the 50th anniversary of Sarawak independence from Britain. AdvertisementMalaysia’s hornbill has reasons to fly low. “The party’s approval has helped to form the government.”, He explained that advocating for Sarawak’s rights has always been a hot issue. Sarawak Independence Day Observances Nevertheless, the vision of independence may simply be too radical to many members of all ethnic groups, who fear bloodshed or at least an intensified level of tensions. Despite being a relatively new political force, the PBK plans to contest all 82 seats in the state election, which are due in June 2021. This group is dedicated to Sarawakian who supports the Independence of Sarawak. S4S is now just a background movement in Sarawak right now, no longer active. “When the UN team were in Sarawak, they were met with numerous demonstrations, protests and objections including “Sarawak Want Independence Not Malaysia” but, unsurprisingly, to produce the “right results”, the contrary was concluded by the UN team saying that … The Catalan movement in Spain and its strong push for independence by way of a referendum in 2017 is a prime example how historical grievances, … Next to this, the threat of being charged with sedition for proclaiming the goal of independence is simply shrugged off. Report, Trans-Pacific With its first homegrown vaccine approved for general use, China aims to vaccinate 50 million people by the Lunar New Year in February. With excessively long land and water borders, Sarawakians would face a need to recruit foreigners to secure a hypothetical new country, an idea that goes against their home-crafted objective of Borneonization of public services. That lies in the hands of all parties, including those that adorn their emblems with the picture of this magnificent bird but have mainly concentrated on achieving economic targets. “GPS is the ‘kingmaker,’” said Duke Freddie. Has he finally met his match in India's farmers? Only a general election can rescue Malaysia’s democracy, but not its stability. If Sarawak got its independence, it has two possibilities. The Sarawak Sovereignty Movement or SSM is an apolitical civil movement which was officially launched in Kuching, Sarawak on 13 April 2013. The official Sarawak Independence Day public holiday was gazetted by the government of Sarawak in 2016 to raise awareness about Sarawak's … For the current chief minister of Sarawak, Abang Jo, however, recent events are proof of the good relationship between the state and federal government. KUCHING: Celebrating Sarawak Day, Sarawak Association for People's Aspiration (Sapa) has urged the Federal Government to restore the state’s rights and status under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 or face rising independence sentiment among Sarawakians. Sarawakians want to remain shielded from being pushed around at the whim of ethnocentrist Malay politicians. But squeezing profits out of all the natural resources that the world’s third-largest island possesses has become, in the eyes of environmentalists, the epitome of an aggressive policy of logging and land grabs. With an impressive fortune, and a barrage of legal assaults the result could play into the ongoing political in... U.S.-Rok relations depends on the votes of the federal forces away about the cause Sarawak would bring federal... A background movement in store for the industry all Events priorities of South Korea ’ s vibrant Chinese... About the cause of Sarawak independence Day Night Run « all Events although many more are,! 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