The Merdeka Day that was celebrated in Kapit, Sarawak, on a small scale on Aug 31 may be the last such event as Sarawakians want their state government to mark Sept 16 as the day Malaysia was formed 51 years ago.

Sarawak had been celebrating Aug 31 as Merdeka Day since the formation of Malaysia.

From next year, Sarawakians and politicians from the political divide want Sept 16 to be the day of the nation’s independence - not Aug 31 - which was the day Malaya obtained independence 57 years ago.

“Why should we celebrate Aug 31, which is Malaya’s day of independence? We should celebrate Sept 16 and July 22, the day Sarawak obtained her self-government in 1963,” Sarawak Association for People’s Aspiration (Sapa) president Lina Soo ( left ) said today.

“I agree it is a waste of time, money and energy to celebrate Malaya’s Independence Day. Sarawak has its own day of independence - July 22 - and we also mark Malaysia Day on Sept 16,” Soo said.

Sept 16 was the day Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore joined to form the Federation of Malaysia.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing said that since Sept 16 is Malaysia Day, it should be the rallying point for the nation’s unity, while Aug 31 is Independence Day for Malaya and Sabah.

“They can celebrate it both in Malaya and Sabah as they have the same date as their Independence Day.

“We can join them there if they invite us,” said Masing, who is the state land development minister.

Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian ( right ) concurred with Masing’s views.

Baru, who is the Ba’Kelalan state assemblyperson, said his constituency had been celebrating Malaysia Day on a big scale for three years in a row.

Several non-governmental organisations also support Sept 16 to be celebrated on a grand scale.

State to mark Malaysia Day in Miri

State Minister of Public Utilities Awang Tengah Ali Hassan has been appointed chairperson to organise a grand celebration for the coming Malaysia Day, which will be held in Miri.

Some 20,000 people are expected to attend the celebration.

“Activities organised include various performances depicting the formation of Malaysia, the sacrifices of the older generation, and the success and challenges achieved by Sarawak and Malaysia,” Awang Tengah ( left ) said.

Meanwhile, Soo said that the formation of Malaysia, which was governed by the Malaysia Agreement of 1963, had been justified on the basis that it would give independence, economic advancement and security to Sarawak.

“But sadly, none of these have materialised,” she said.

She said many Sarawakians were inspired by the statements of former chief minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and current Chief Minister Adenan Satem on Sarawak’s role as an equal partner in the formation of Malaysia.

Both leaders have also reminded the people that Malaysia Agreement had to be honoured.

Soo said: “As a follow-up action by civil society, Sapa has organised awareness talks on the Malaysia Agreement around Sarawak, which have been well-received.

“Plans are afoot to take the talks to Bintulu, Sibu and other smaller towns soon,” she said.

Soo also said that the People’s Petition to the United Nations, launched by Sapa last month to collect signatures is the Sarawak people’s initiative to the United Nations, which endorsed the formation of Malaysia in 1963, to review the manner in which Sarawak was incorporated into the Federation of Malaysia.

“It is also to assert the people’s right to self-determination, which is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Charter of United Nations, of which Malaysia is a member nation,” she said.

The petition has received tremendous response from the people from all nooks and corners of Sarawak.