NGOs condemn Sabah claim, pledge loyalty to the govt
Published on: Wednesday, September 18, 1968
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Both memorandums contained resolutions condemning the Philippine claim to Sabah and pledging the loyalty of the people to the Government.
Representatives from the 34 registered associations and clubs of Kota Kinabalu were as follow:- Enche Lau Yeong Ching, Vice-Chairman of Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Kota Kinabalu; Enche T. H. Wong, Secretary-General of C.C.C., Kota Kinabalu; Enche Lo Kwock Chuen, Chairman of Kwong Chew Association, Kota Kinabalu, and Enche Peter Chong Kim Poh, Chairman of Hawkers Association, Kota Kinabalu.
They presented their memorandum with the following resolutions to the Chief Minister:-
- To condemn the Philippines in passing a Bill in its House of Representatives verbally annexing Sabah;
- To appeal to the Central Government to abrogate the Anti-Smuggling Pact between Malaysia and Philippines;
- To pledge once again our loyalty to our nation, Malaysia, and to reiterate our determination to fight against internal and external threat to defend our independence and freedom; and
- To pledge our full support to the Government in the stand taken to meet the so-called, unfounded Philippines claim to our sovereign State within Malaysia.
The memorandum added: “We, the people of Sabah have chosen to join Malaysia in 1963. This was confirmed by the United Nations Team on 14th September, 1963, which was sent by the United Nations’ Secretary-General in order to ascertain the wishes of the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in joining Malaysia.
“We, the Malaysians of Sabah have again declared our desires to remain in Malaysia forever at the State General Elections in April, 1967, in which the rejection to the Philippine claim was one of the major issues.
“It is our conviction that the attempt by the Philippines Legislature to declare our State as part of the Philippines is an act of fantasy which is illegal, and null, and void, and it is an act of great insult to us the people of Sabah.
The Philippine Government in backing the Congressional Bill has conceded that it was passed to strengthen the so-called claim to Sabah.
Therefore, the Philippine authority has for the first time openly admitted that it had in fact no case.
In the light of the unfriendly manner of the Philippine authority, we appeal to the central Government to abrogate the Anti-Smuggling Pact between Malaysia and the Philippines which has proved to be of no benefit at all to our nation.
“Come what may, the undersigned associations and resist the so-called Philippine Government’s claim to Sabah and will rally behind our Federal and State Governments to meet the threat of the Philippines.
“We wish further to pledge our complete and undivided loyalty to our Chief Minister and our Central Government”.
The other memorandum from the Kota Kinabalu rural districts was presented to the Chief Minister by the following representatives:—
Enche Abdul Hamid bin Sinain, Chairman of Usno, Menggatal Branch: Enche Chan Shui Hin, Chairman. of Sabah Chinese Association, Rural District Branch; K.K. Sindin of Kampong Kokol, Menggatal; and W.K.K. Durasin bin Ami of Kampong Tebonbon, Menggatal.
Their memorandum was as follows:—
“We the people of the Kota Kinabalu Rural District Council stand solidly behind the Government under the leadership of the Honourable the Chief Minister, Tun Datu Haji Mustapha bin Datu Harun, in rejecting the so-called Philippine Claim to Sabah and the passage of the Bill annexing Sabah as part of the Philippines.
“We, the people of Malaysia, do hereby pledge our full support in our nation’s struggle for the existence of her sovereignty and we, as loyal citizens, are always ready and willing to sacrifice our lives in the defence of our nation’s integrity and independence”.
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