THE Keningau oath stone will be moved to a permanent location in August after more than a year’s delay.  

Keningau District Officer Yusop Osman said the Ketua-Ketua Adat in Sabah would pick a suitable date for the relocation next to the Keningau Heritage Museum.

“We can’t simply move the stone as there are rituals involved.

“We suggested to the Ketua-Ketua Adat that the relocation be carried out in August,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Several sources have indicated that the relocation will coincide with the stone’s 53rd anniversary on Aug 31.

The relocation plan was set in motion in February 2016 by Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz during a visit to the interior district but was constantly postponed with the higher cost being cited as among the reasons.

On May 3 this year, Nazri finally announced a RM1.025 million allocation under the 11th Malaysia Plan for the relocation and revealed RM25,000 would be set aside for the Kadazandusun paramount chief Joseph Pairin Kitingan to conduct the relocation ritual.  

“The allocation is for the relocation of the Batu Sumpah, construction of new roads, a historical wall, softscape, Oath Stone plaque and parking lots,” he was quoted as telling the Malay Mail Online.

The oath stone issue had been raised by almost all major political parties in Sabah since 2012.

It is the only historic piece of document set in stone demanding that the federal government keep its pledges in return for the loyalty of the Sabah Interior natives towards the federation of Malaysia.  

The original inscriptions are as follows: 

Government of Malaysia guarantees

1. Freedom of Religion in Sabah

2. The Government of Sabah Holds Authority over Land in Sabah

3. Native Customs and Traditions Will Be Respected and Upheld by the Government

In Return, the People of Sabah’s Interior Pledge Loyalty to the Government of Malaysia. 

The oath stone made local headlines in 2014 after three words went missing.

The missing words “Kerajaan Malaysia Jamin” (Government of Malaysia Guarantees) triggered political controversy whether the original plaque had gone missing or had been “mischievously” replaced during road-widening work in Keningau in the 1980s.

The original plaque was believed found by a former district council worker near his home in 2015. He handed the item to Star Bingkor assemblyman Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who later handed it to the police for safekeeping.

During his visit in 2016, Nazri ordered that the missing words be reinstated and the stone be proclaimed a national heritage. – June 20, 2017.