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Its deputy president Jalumin Bayogoh said the party’s intention was not to dismiss Malaysia Day but instead to elevate the significance of Malaysia Day to be on par with Merdeka Day.
He said STAR, which is a component of Perikatan Nasional, had received numerous responses from various parties, whether in support of or objecting to the proposed Sabah Day date to be gazetted, which is Aug 31.
“They all share a common aspiration that Sabah be recognised as one of the co-founders of Malaysia,” he said in a statement here today.
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Bayogoh explained that the British colonial administration gave Sabah self-government status on Aug 31, 1963, a fact that was widely publicised in the media of the time.
“For 16 days, we had complete authority over our direction and our future. Imagine if our predecessors had chosen not to pursue the Malaysia route?
“With the installation of a de facto government on Aug 31, 1963, we attained de facto independence.”
Deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan, who is also STAR president, had said last month that Sabah Day could be observed as an official celebration for the first time next year.
He said he had prepared a Cabinet paper to gazette Sabah Day, which has been one of the main annual celebrations for his party.
Bayogoh said there was confusion among the younger generation be it those in Sabah or across the country.
This, according to him, stemmed from biases in the teaching and dissemination of historical facts that favoured Peninsular Malaysia history, particularly in school textbooks.
“This is the reason there is an urgent need to correct erroneous understanding,” he said.
Bayogoh added that Malaysia Day was declared a public holiday for the first time in 2010 but was never accorded due significance.
“The date Sept 16, 1963, signified the birth of a new nation. Malaysia was formed by the union of four territories, including Singapore at the time. Why is it not recognised as the real national day?
“How can we or our children recognise themselves as Malaysians if we don’t or can’t even recognise the birth of our nation?” Bayogoh asked.
He stressed that Sabah and Sarawak were not insignificant partners in the country’s formation.
“We made Malaysia. We have just as much invested in Malaysia as the Federation of Malaya. None of the three territories that comprise the nation can claim Malaysia as its exclusive aspiration.”
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