Oath Stone: Museum to have the final say
Published on: Thursday, September 10, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the authenticity of the Keningau oath stone plaque can only be decided once it is handed to the museum. He said the process of verifying the once lost plaque requires more than just one party confirming, but a few individuals to conclude it "beyond reasonable doubt." He was apparently referring to former State Secretary Tan Sri Richard Lind's confirmation of its authenticity recently. This is to avoid further debate arising from the oath stone controversy, he said.
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Lind was the person who was asked to make its erection a reality a year after independence when the first appointed State Government of Donald (later Tun Fuad) Stephens asked Lind who was the then Keningau District Officer to find out how the still lingering opposition of the Interior natives towards the Malaysia proposal could be resolved.Lind has given a statement to the police to this effect. The lost plaque was reportedly found by a former Council worker from Kg Apin-Apin in early July, who handed it to Star Chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. Masidi said the discovery of the plaque was reason enough for celebration, but expressed reservation."Until it is in the possession of the museum only then we can verify beyond doubt that it was indeed the plaque, we had been looking for. We need a few people to testify that it was indeed the original plaque because we do not want to start another row over, which one is which," he told reporters after revealing plans for the Malaysia Day celebration this Sept 16.
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The monument's plaque had been tampered as three important words( Kerajaan Malaysia Jamin) (The Malaysian Government Guarantees) that was once part of the plaque's inscription had been omitted.The Keningau oath stone is touted as an important piece of document related to the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16 1963, as it held the summary of guarantees of the Malaysian Government to Sabah. Lind said someone must have decided that it was the opportune moment to remove the original plaque and replace it with another without the three words.
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"Whoever did this had mischievous intent," claimed Lind. "The three words have great meaning as this was what the natives wanted and their removal could not have been an oversight."Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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