School students waving the Jalur Gemilang at the state-level Malaysia Day celebration at the Sri Aman indoor stadium in Sarawak. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
KUCHING: Sarawakians came together to celebrate Malaysia Day in a colourful show of unity in diversity.
Many who attended the state-level celebration at the indoor stadium in Sri Aman, about 190km from here, took the opportunity to dress up in traditional finery.
Claudia Sambal Tuah wore a green baju kurung with a red keringkam headscarf and selendang.
Keringkam is the traditional embroidery of Sarawak’s Malay community using gold or silver thread.
“Although I am Iban, I like to wear the various costumes found in Malaysia. I’m proud to be Malaysian because we all live together in unity despite coming from different races and religions,” she said.
Nur Annisya Zaihaki came to the celebration dressed in a Bidayuh costume.
“I’m Malay but I enjoy wearing different traditional costumes,” she said, adding that she was also proud to be Malaysian.
The state-level celebration was graced by Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi.
Highlights included the raising of the Jalur Gemilang, a poetry recital recounting Malaysia’s history and traditional dance and music performances showcasing Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg called for Sarawak to be recognised as one of the nation’s founding partners in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said it was important to remember that Sarawak had formed Malaysia together with other regions as a sovereign state with its own constitution.
“Sarawak has its own political system and administration, with its own boundaries and population. Sarawak cannot be reduced to a status that is less than a founding partner of Malaysia.
“This is the spirit of MA63 which our leaders strove for when they negotiated with other independence figures and the British (to form Malaysia),” he said in a speech read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.Abang Johari said this did not mean Sarawak was challenging the Federation of Malaysia, but it was seeking the restoration of its rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and MA63.
“The relationship between the Sarawak and federal governments should be based on what is stated in the Constitution and MA63,” he added.
In this respect, Abang Johari said 11 issues under MA63 were resolved in a special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Kota Kinabalu last week.
However, he said some matters required further discussions between him and the Prime Minister, as well as the Sabah Chief Minister.
“One of the outstanding matters involves the right to collect stamp duty on sale and purchase agreements for property transactions, which can reach millions of ringgit in Sarawak annually.
“Nevertheless, I am confident that all the matters under MA63 can be resolved as long as the federal, Sarawak and Sabah governments can sit down together to discuss them in the spirit of Malaysia Madani and mutual respect,” he said.
