Don't threaten us, defiant Sarawakians tell Zahid

Desmond Davidson Desmond Davidson Updated 8 years ago · Published on 6 Dec 2017 8:41PM · 8 Comments

Sarawakians are not taking too kindly to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement that slogans calling for more state autonomy in Sabah and Sarawak are seditious. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, December 6, 2017.

SARAWAKIANS are defiant against what they perceive as a threat from Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the use of the slogans “Sarawak for Sarawakians” and “Sabah for Sabahans”.

They see it as an attempt to stifle the two bornean states’ political aspirations and to stop Malaya from being pressured to comply the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Pro-autonomy advocacy group Sarawak 4 Sarawakians rejected the threat outright, describing it as “empty and baseless posturing designed to create a culture in which people are afraid to stand up for their rights under the constitution”.  

S4S de facto leader Peter John Jaban said there was no provision in the Federal Constitution to criminalise slogans such as Sarawak 4 Sarawakians.

He said Article 10 of the Federal Constitution guarantees every citizen the freedom of expression and challenged the deputy prime minister to cite a single example of a public order offence committed in the name of S4S, which would justify him curtailing a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution.

Jaban said if the deputy prime minister feels that reasonable calls for full recognition of the state’s rights, as negotiated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, are a threat to the security of the nation “then he must have a very dark view of the way the nation has been organized”.

Besides reminding Zahid that Sarawakians, like other Malaysians, are patriots serving to protect the nation in the various branches of the security services, Jaban also asked if he is also claiming the Sarawak government is a threat to the security of the nation.

“They are asking for exactly the same thing (as us).”

“Is he going to arrest every car owner in Sarawak displaying the Sarawak 4 Sarawakians logo or every person wearing the T-shirt?

“If that is his intention, then he better start building bigger jails because he is talking about a huge percentage of the state’s population.”

Jaban said it’s better for Zahid to listen to the people in the Borneo states instead of criminalizing them.

“Sarawak 4 Sarawakians is a reflection of the views of the people of Sarawak; it does not create them.”

Lina Soo, another prominent sarawak rights activist, however wonders how Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg will react to Zahid’s threat.

“Former chief minister Adenan Satem strongly advocated the sentiment Sarawak for Sarawakians.

“I wonder if he is rattled by the threat. I’m anxious to find out when he returns.”

Abang Johari is on a five-day study tour in China.

PKR Sarawak chief Baru Bian said Zahid had issued a legitimate warning, but said the slogans accurately reflect the people’s sentiments in the two Bornean states.

Baru however noted the “warning” came as the 14th general election is looming and it was a calculated move to suppress the swelling of dissatisfaction against the federal government.

“Wrongly handled, it may backfire against BN,” he said. – December 6, 2017.

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Comments

  • CLOWNS....One time wearing Black by Hindraf is seditious.......There after wearing yellow by Bersih followers was seditious(KNOWING ROYAL OFFICAL COLOUR) now S4S IS SEDITIOUS .........

    Posted 8 years ago by Mohanarajan murugeson · Reply

  • Never in a country do we see a person who is not of birth right become a top official. Only in Malaysia. Who are you Zahid to understand how the two Bornean states feels in their natioanalistic passion in wanting more for their birth right states. Zahid are you abled to have the same emotions and exuberance like them on the political aspirations . They are not defiance but more so of a patriots voicing out their own state rights which are humbly due to them. So who is threatening who????

    Posted 8 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • All respect for you has been long gone allowing yourself to be called and treated like fixed deposits election after election.

    Posted 8 years ago by Xuz ZG · Reply

  • Zahid Hamidi will.take over UMNO after GE14, this shows he will push UMNO long term goal hegemony in all States. Sarawakian for Sarawakian cannot survive with UMNO.

    Posted 8 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply

  • I am Bangsa Johor. What say you?

    Posted 8 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Please lah Sarawakian - Zahid is absolutely not threatening Sarawak. The fact is - Sarawak is in Zahid's pocket. Wake up la - and stop thumping your chest. You are just a fixed deposit to UMNO.

    Posted 8 years ago by Chris Ng · Reply

  • Zahid is thinking by threatening sarawakian, we will be vote for bn. I think he will be jobless after g14. We are not like Malayan Malays , scare that their ricebowl will be broken if they anger their boss. Here we don't care a 8 about outsiders

    Posted 8 years ago by Peter Teng · Reply

  • Zahid is trying to frighten us. He thought we are cowards . But I'm sure he will lost his job after g14. We are not scare of outsiders. S4S will always be our identity.

    Posted 8 years ago by Peter Teng · Reply