45th Merdeka do next year

Sarawak to observe its own Malaysia Day Sept 16 next year besides celebrating 51st National Day on Aug 31: DCM

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has resolved to hold a grand celebration next year to mark the 45th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963.Disclosing this yesterday was Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan who felt that 45 years of Sarawak’s independence and its role in the formation of Malaysia should be commemorated.
“The State government has decided that next year Sarawak alone will have a grand celebration. As for the Merdeka Day celebration, we will still carry it out as usual,” he told The Borneo Post’s sister paper See Hua Daily News here yesterday.
He was asked to comment on whether Malaysia should celebrate 44 or 50 years of independence this year.
Dr Chan, who is also Minister of Industrial Development and Modernisation of Agriculture, pointed out that Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had also explained that all Malaysians should celebrate 50 years of independence in Malaysia.
“The Chief Minister also cited Hawaii as an example. Although Hawaii joined the United States later, it follows the United States in celebrating National Day. Therefore, the same applies to us,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Federal government marks this year as the 50th celebration because Malaya gained independence on Aug 31, 1957.
However, Malaysia was formed only after Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore joined Malaya in independence on Sept 16, 1963. Singapore left Malaysia and sought independence years later.
It is believed that because of this, many people feel that Malaysia should celebrate 44 years of independence, not 50.

Published by:
The Borneo Post
28 August 2007