KOTA KINABALU: The state government’s decision to mark Sabah Day, which was never celebrated over the past 60 years, is a reflection of the state’s autonomy in the federation, says a political analyst.
A senior lecturer with the Sabah Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus, Tony Paridi Bagang, said the recognition would possibly provide a fresh look at the historical facts on the formation of the federation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963.
“The recognition of Sabah Day could be viewed as the manifestation of state autonomy.
“With the marking of Sabah Day, it may see a revisit into the facts in historical books (school historical syllabus),” said Bagang.
The end of Britain’s colonial rule in Sabah on Aug 31, 1963, has never been celebrated by the state over the last 60 years.
The historic day for Sabahans was always overshadowed by the National Day celebrations, with little or no memory that Aug 31 was a significant event for Sabah as well when the state – then known as North Borneo – was given self rule ahead of Malaysia’s formation.
On Aug 21, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had said that the state would celebrate Sabah Day to mark the state’s important historical milestone.
Bagang said the marking of Sabah Day was long overdue as many leaders had been pushing for the state to commemorate the day when it was given self-governance.
“Surely, it captures the hearts and minds of Sabahans, and changes their narrative on Sabah Day, which is similar to Sarawak Day (July 22),” he added.
This year, Sabah will hold the annual state-level National Day celebration on Aug 31 in the state capital before the state leaders head to the interior Tambunan to mark the Sabah Day celebration for the first time.
To a question on whether the narrative on Malaysia’s formation would change, Bagang said it had to be seen if the current Federal Government would honour Sabah’s position in Malaysia and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This will be a litmus test for the current Prime Minister to fulfil and honour Sabah Day.”
For some historians, the formation of the federation of Malaysia comprising Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah had been scheduled to happen on Aug 31, 1963, to coincide with Malaya’s independence on Aug 31 six years earlier.
However, the formation of the new federation was delayed due to objections by the Philippines and Indonesia.
Malaysia was only formed on Sept 16, 1963, with the British going ahead to grant self-rule to Sabah and Sarawak ahead of the formation, with both states obtaining safeguards under MA63. Singapore left the federation in 1965.
During the state’s rule by Parti Bersatu Sabah, it had pushed to mark Malaysia Day on Sept 16 by declaring a holiday together with the governor’s birthday.
In 2014, the Federal Government decided to make Sept 16 a public holiday.
