Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said Sabahans were never properly informed about what forming Malaysia would mean before the Federation came into being, and that this failure is the root of the State’s unresolved rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, six decades later.
“There was no proper briefing, no real information given to the people of Sabah. We had no sense of the impact, the meaning, or the benefits of forming Malaysia because we were still in school. What did we know about politics back then?“Malaya had only just gained independence in 1957, and the idea of Malaysia was proposed in 1961. That was so soon after, and we were still under British rule. We were still in the grip of the British,” he said at the Bicara Negarawan forum hosted by the Ministry of National Unity and the National Archives at the Le Meridien, on Monday.
The event was in honour of the late Tun Fuad Stephens under the theme “Kepimpinan dan Legasi Tun Fuad Stephens Membina Negara Bangsa.” Also in the panel discussion moderated by IDS CEO Professor Datuk Ts Dr Ramzah Dambul were Universiti Malaya history Professor Datuk Dr Danny Wong and Daily Express Chief Editor, Datuk James Sarda, JP.
Pairin, who is Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) President and became second Huguan Siou (community paramount leader) after Fuad, said he decided to attend the programme specifically because the subject touched on Fuad’s role in the formation of Malaysia and on how far the country had yet to go in reaching a satisfactory level of development and rights fulfilment for Sabah.
“When the idea of forming Malaysia was first raised, I had not yet gone to Australia and was still a student with no real exposure to politics.
“It was only later, when I and many other young Sabahans were sent on scholarships to Australia alongside peers from Sarawak and Singapore, that the concept of Malaysia and the meaning of its formation were seriously discussed and began to take shape in our minds,” Pairin said.
He said Fuad himself had to navigate challenges that he (Fuad) had never anticipated, encountering and overcoming entirely new obstacles as the Federation took shape, facing them fresh with no precedent to draw from.
Pairin said the Cobbold Commission findings showed only one third of Sabahans agreed to be part of Malaysia, with other two-thirds opposed or wanting independence first before any merger.
“Both Indonesia and the Philippines had also opposed the formation of Malaysia,” he said.
“Wanting independence beforehand was a logical position, as equal standing within a Federation required a state to first govern itself, understand its own administration and manage its own affairs.
“Instead, the formation proceeded within too short a time, leaving protections for Sabah incomplete to this day,” he said.
He said Sabah entered the Federation without full self-governance and without a truly functioning Legislative Assembly, casting doubt on the legal standing of agreements signed at the time, referring to the 16-day self-government status granted by last colonial governor, Sir William Goode, on Aug. 31, 1963.
In doing so, Goode disregarded strong protests by Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. During the 16-day period, a Sabah Cabinet was already in place. The formation materialised only on Sept. 16, 1963.
“When we look back at history, at the time we signed, we were not yet truly independent. So, what we signed was not truly effective in legal terms. That is why we entered into a situation that was quite uncertain.
“Fuad’s struggle had been focused on securing protection for Sabah and fostering unity within the new nation.
“Building a nation required unity and mutual understanding, but these had not been sustained.
“In pursuit of that unity, Fuad (eventually) closed his own party, Upko (in 1967 months after the first Sabah election) and directed its members to join the (Muslim-led) United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) so that the Bumiputera community could be united,” Pairin said.
Pairin said Fuad even converted his (Catholic) religion, a detail borne out in accounts presented at the forum by Fauziah (Fuad’s daughter), as yet another means of bringing all Sabahans together.
“That was a real sacrifice. Everything he did was with good intentions, wanting everyone to progress and develop,” he said.
He said Fuad had also held discussions with Tun Mustapha on a timber revenue sharing policy so that proceeds could be distributed more equitably, but this arrangement too did not endure.
“The situation was further compounded when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia in 1965 by the administration of Tunku, a move that shocked both Sabah and Sarawak,” he said, pointing out that Singapore did not leave of its own accord but was pushed out.
“Fuad was furious at not having been consulted on the separation, a sentiment documented in Fuad’s own writings as presented by Fauziah at the forum, with Fuad saying he felt as though he could die from the shock of it.
“This is very serious. If you are truly aligned in building one nation and there is no agreement that is followed through, then what you have is not a genuine foundation but an uncertain one,” Pairin said.
“The turbulence extended to the chief ministership itself, with leadership changes occurring outside of any proper legal framework.
“Tunku installed Fuad as Chief Minister, who was then replaced by Peter Lo. Mustapha won (the election) again but was (later) moved aside. Laws governing administration were simply not applied,” Pairin said.
“Fuad’s first stint as Chief Minister lasted only some 500 days, far short of the five-year term the law should have guaranteed. He had only just been sworn in as Chief Minister again when the June 6, 1976 tragedy struck. It is sad that so short a second administration was cut off so abruptly,” Pairin said.
