Malaysia Day on September 16 tomorrow will be celebrated as a national public holiday for the first time in the nation’s history.
The very fact that it has taken 47 years for Malaysia Day to be recognized officially as a national public holiday is testimony of why Sabahans and Sarawakians feel so aggrieved at not being accorded full and proper treatment as an integral part of Malaysia.
This prevailing sense of alienation, discrimination and even marginalization is best illustrated by a newspaper headline in the Sabah press today, viz: “Sabahans losing patience over 20 Points – Maijol”.
United Pasokmomogun Kadazan Dusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) vice president Senator Datuk Maijol Mahap was quoted as declaring that “Sabahans are fed up with the Federal Government’s failure to fulfill what have been promised in the 20 Points Agreement”.
Maijol said: “Even after 47 years of being part of Malaysia, they are still waiting for the time when the 20 Points Agreement will be fully fulfilled.”
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is coming to Sabah with a high-level Federal Government delegation to celebrate Malaysia Day as the first national public holiday.
Declaring Malaysia Day as a national public holiday is just not good enough to address the 47 years of grievances of Sabahans articulated by Senator Maijol.
Najib should not come emtpty-handed to Sabah for the Malaysia Day celebrations but should use the occasion to announce policy decisions and measures to instill the spirit behind the declaration of Malaysia Day as a national public holiday into all aspects nation-building policies to give to Sabahans and Sarawakians their rightful dues as equal citizens of Malaysia.
This is the best and opportune occasion for Najib to announce a Royal Commission of Inquiry to assess the success or shortfalls into the 20 Points Agreement to address the root causes of grievances of the people of Sabah and Sarawak in the past five decades.