Key words on Oath Stone missing: Jeffrey
Published on: Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Keningau: The Government should allow any group that wants to honour Malaysia Day to do so instead of resorting to scare-tactics and intimidation.Sabah Star Chairman Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan said he was disappointed over the way the Government handled the situation on Tuesday when some 300 people were prevented from entering the District Office compound here to celebrate Malaysia Day in front of the Oath Stone.He also questioned why the key words "Kerajaan Malaysia Jamin (Malaysian Government guarantees) which the Yang DiPertuan Agong also presided over when he officiated at the stone's commemoration on 31.9.1963 had been mysteriously erased from the plaque that is currently on display.
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"The Government prevented us from celebrating Malaysia Day while at the same time they are telling us we are troublemakers. That is not right, there is something wrong here," he said, Tuesday.During the 10am incident, Jeffrey and a group of people went to the district office where a police team was standing guard at the gate. He said he was informed by police that they were not allowed to enter the district office compound or even to stand near the gate.
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"They set up road blocks everywhere. I was told not to proceed with the event. But I decided to proceed anyway. I walked towards the gate, the police did not block us."They however kept guard around the crowd. I managed to deliver my speech and we raised the Malaysian flag and sang the national and State anthems," he said.
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In his speech, Jeffrey expressed his frustrations on not being allowed to honour the Malaysia Day, perform the "adat istiadat" or go near the Oath Stone even though it is the symbol of the formation of Malaysia.He questioned the logic in allowing another group of people to celebrate a similar event on Monday, instead of the actual day on Tuesday."Sept 15 is the wrong date. Today is Malaysia Day, yet we were not allowed to do the same. If they can change the date anytime they feel like celebrating Malaysia Day, the same way they can change the writings on the Oath Stone, taking out the 'Kerajaan Malaysia jamin', that means they can change anything."That is the reason why we are suffering now because even the Malaysia Agreement 1963 they can change. They do not need to honour those."By denying us our rights, they are teaching us to be disloyal rather than to be loyal to the country," he said.Jeffrey, however, was glad that the police were friendly and managed to guard the situation."They are just doing their duty. We do not blame them. Even though they said I cannot do it, when I did anyway, they did not stop me. They only stood guard," he said.He said leaders from Peninsular Malaysia, both from the BN government and the Pakatan opposition, should get down from their high horses and stop the hollow sweet talk to Sabahans and Sarawakians on the future of Malaysia. The time has come for all parties, particularly the Federal Government, to rectify past mistakes on the formation of Malaysia," he said.Reading the statements of the various peninsula leaders including from PKR, DAP, MCA and Gerakan, it can be simplified that they acknowledge that Malaysia was formed on Sept. 16,1963 and that Sabah and Sarawak are equal partners to the Federation of Malaya, he said."Even the Deputy Home Minister from Sarawak has acknowledged that massive disparity and under-development is one of the many causes of the unhappiness.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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