I just came across the latest attack on former Suhakam Vice Chairman and former Sabah State Secretary Tan Sri Simon Sipaun for his completely innocuous and patriotic statement recently that “life in Sabah before in Malaysia was very pleasant and good”.
Earlier, two Umno Tawau divisions had lodged police reports against Sipaun for the grave crime of sedition for making such an innocuous and patriotic statement when plumbing his memories of life today, 47 years after formation of Malaysia, and before.
Umno has now escalated its campaign to demonise and criminalise Sipaun for his statement, as the Sabah UMNO Youth leader, Azman Ruslan, has intervened alleging that Sipaun’s remark was “tantamount to questioning the wisdom behind Sabah’s decision to join the formation of Malaysia”.
Nobody except the most politically jaundiced could come to such a ridiculous conclusion. There is nothing wrong for Sipaun to give his views, based on his own memories, that life in Sabah was better and more pleasant before the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
No rational person would jump to the baseless conclusion that Sipaun was being unpatriotic or disloyal in opposing Sabah’s decision 47 years ago to form Malaysia or is now advocating Sabah’s secession from Malaysia.
It is the persons who make the irrational leap to such a conclusion as to make such baseless accusation to criminalise Sipaun who are really guilty of sedition, and against whom the police should take action and not against Sipaun.
The only real question at issue is whether there is any basis for Sipaun to make his statement comparing life in Sabah today and the times before formation of Malaysia.
Let us consider what Sipaun had said, viz:
“Life in Sabah, in those days called North Borneo, as I remember it, before Malaysia, was very pleasant and good, to say the least. Admittedly there was no development that we see today, but even Malaya at that time was no better. There was no racial problem, mixed marriages were very common, and that is why we have so many peranakan in Sabah. If Sabahans are now conscious of racial and religious divide, it has been imported from semananjung. There was no illegal immigrant, there were no cases of Sabahans losing citizenship status while foreigners get it without much difficulty. There were no repressive and draconian laws, such as Official Secrets Act; Datuk Dr. Jeffrey is very familiar with this, Internal Security Act, sometimes referred to as ISA or “I Simply Arrest”, the Printing Presses and Publications Act, the Seditious Act, the Police Act, and the four Proclamations of Emergency; we are still under emergency as of today even though the conditions for having emergency proclamation is no longer there, there was not quarrelling over dead bodies, the composition, and I spent three years of my career in the civil service before Malaysia, the composition in those days of the civil service was reflective of the racial makeup of society. It was multi-racial, meritocracy was practised. Corruption and ketuanan Melyau, we never heard of it. And the thing continues. How not to miss Sabah before Malaysia.”
Can the above statement by Sipaun qualify as sedition?
If so, it will be the best proof that life in Sabah today is even worse than life in the state before the formation of Malaysia in 1963 – to the extent that innocuous and patriotic comparisons of life today and what it was 47 years ago could be classified as criminal and seditious!
Sipaun had made the comparison not to advocate secession or oppose Sabah’s decision on the formation of Malaysia in 1963 but to advocate change, reform and good governance in Sabah and Malaysia.
Azman alleged that Sipaun’s statement was “a blatant disrespect to the founding fathers of?Malaysia”, especially to the late Tun Mohd Fuad, the first “Huguan Siou” or paramount leader of the Kadazandusun.
The Sabah Umno Youth leader cannot be more wrong.
Firstly, what Sipaun’s said represented the voice of all genuine Sabahans, and not just Kadazandusun community.
Secondly, I have no doubt that if Tun Fuad is still alive today, he would have fully endorsed Sipaun’s sentiments and embraced him as a great son of Sabah and a patriotic Malaysian.
The only question is why the present Huguan Siou Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan had not come forward to fully endorse and embrace Sipaun for his truthful, courageous and patriotic sentiments.
(Speech at DAP Sabah dinner gathering in Penampang on Friday, 11th February 2011)
my father who was bon in 1948 said the same thing. Life was definitely much better before Malaysia
///Earlier, two Umno Tawau divisions had lodged police reports against Sipaun for the grave crime of sedition for making such an innocuous and patriotic statement when plumbing his memories of life today, 47 years after formation of Malaysia, and before.///–Kit
Not too long ago, Sabahans practicing Christian faith were not allowed to refer to Allah as the God, or calling God Allah. They went to schools using Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction and having learned Bahasa Malaysia they are prevented from reading Bible in Bahasa Malaysia by the government banning the import of Bible written in Bahasa Malaysia from Indonesia. Before joining Malaysia Sabahans had English schools which would have allowed them to read Bible in English. In giving English, they are now forced to give up religious knowledge too.
Sabahans were happy before joining Malaysia. Now they are not allowed to think about their happy days aloud.
I am both amazed and amused with the number of police reports, politicians, particularly UMNO lodge daily, weekly or monthly. I wonder if there is a separate police department just to handle police reports by politicians. Is that why crime is so rampant in the country? The police, where got time to conduct law and order. I wonder if people who lodge frivilous police report, will be prosecuted?
Please lah, let the police us against criminals.
///The only real question at issue is whether there is any basis for Sipaun to make his statement comparing life in Sabah today and the times before formation of Malaysia.///
It is perfectly rational for Malaysians to compare life today and the year(s) before. Such comparison allows us to find out whether our living standard has fallen and needs improvement, or whether there is looming danger ahead (e.g bankruptcy, social unrest etc) so that we can make the necessary adjustments and preparations to ward off such threats.
On the contrary, it is silly to not make such comparison until bankruptcy or social unrest breaks out and Malaysians are caught unaware.
I do not think Sipaun has committed sedition at all.
The present Huguan Siou dare not come forward because he is still sucking milk. Simon Sipuan came forward because his source of milk has dried up. So also are people like young teck lee. Their view on Sabah is whether they are still in positions (to receive some scums) or they are out of position. So much the native pride of Sabah and Sarawak. This is also the nincompoop pride of Chinese and Indians in BN. See, I have said many times, I hate UMNO less than all the spineless, pride-less, gutless and boneless BN parties and individuals who help UMNO holds sway in this country. UMNO can not rule alone this country. So our circumstance is our own doing.
And now ….. in BOLEHLAND ….. speaking out one’s mind is an offence! What the …. what the …. phew! is wrong with those who made police report over Sipaun’s personal view?
Don’t know play politics … go home play your wife or daughters.
Sipaun is going to get this new coffee boy who will then run off to Loh See Mah and make a police report, after not defaecating for 2 days
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M9Kuq78JaF4/TXcgo_p_7OI/AAAAAAAASkU/M49qbFKd1Cs/s400/saiful.jpg01a.jpg
The outrageous reaction from Ahmad Ruslan shows that he is nothing more than another of those Umno goon troopers who got nothing better to do than spending time acting like the neighbour spy. They are just looking to create trouble for those that dare to speak up on what they believe, and that’s call freedom of speech. Ahmad’s reaction is nothing more than someone who is just a running dog for the party.
Everyone makes such comparison. Even school kids would compare and say things like “I prefer primary school days. They were better.”
Umno today is so ultra sensitive and hyper emotional. Nothing can ever be said about them. Not even obliquely, intentionally or not.
But what the … Let me be more forthwith. Malaysia has nothing for sabah and sarawak. You fellas are better off out like singapore and brunei.
Cannot agree more with limkamput ( #3 ). It is the BN component parties that unknowingly ( knowingly ) turned UNMOB into a racist and arrogant lot. Rise up together against UNMOB tomorrow and you see UNMOB fall like a ten pin, powerless and UNABLE to go on a witch hunt. So, what is there to fear?
Can UMNO be more idiotic? Only morons will lodge such police reports to seek publicity. The police will be equally moronic if it conducts investigations on the report.
UMNO will even make police reports if the neighbours cat catches their mice.
I guess none of the readers / visitors to this site from Sarawak are from Sipaun’s era since we don’t have the honour to enjoy such comparison written by any of them. As far as I know, life has always been harsh on us right from the moment I began to remember things to this very moment.
UmnoBputras want 2 control rakyat’s minds, blank out their memories of d good old days, b4 M’sia was formed or just after d formation of M’sia with lots of promises
Now reality checks – d current M’sia, after almost 50 yrs of nonstop rule by Umno/BN fr 1963, is a nation of unrealised promises, but of corrupt n racist practices, going bankrupt
Rakyat in d early days of M’sia loved 2 sing “Oh Malaysia“, felt good abt d young nation, n looked forward 2 achieving a great nation in yrs 2 come
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-FI4Z7kBaM&feature=related
Looks like UmnoB wants 2 stop rakyat fr reminiscing abt d past
n 2 stop Sabahans n Sarawakians fr regretting d decision 2 join Malaya 2 form M’sia
On the shore, beyond the tropical sea
You will stand to welcome me
On the shore, beneath the sky so blue
All my dreams at last will come true ……..
Politician, please stop lodging police report unnecessary.
Our policeman is already too busy and underpay – they should try solving crimes and not used as political tools for cheap publicity.
Tell me how many political report has been successfully solved and agreeable to both parties.
At least when policeman catches petty thieves, we are all happy…
These two nimcompoops knew the truth of the statement hence the need to make a police report. It merely reflects the reality of this country that all those hwo have had been collecting rent will always feel threatened by such pronouncement of fact. It only shows how bankrupt they are in every aspect of their thinking process. the sad thing is many in East Malaysia are still caught by such simpletons. It always reminds me of those HP6 politicians who set in gomen board, who asked ” Why is it so difficult to make this a hub?. We just announce it!!!” Just like the Super-Ego who not only announced the MSC but also threw billions into it. Pressto! Nothing happen!! Let all see it the PM will be guided by his 1Malaysia! my bet is: it will soon disappear once stupid malaysians put BN back into office!
http://malaysiakini.com/news/158469
Guess what would happen if someone tries to give a similar present to unmo? yeah, you got it! Free stay in kamunting for “endangering national security”
#17,very sad and angry over the oft repeated protests and demos by the anti Chinese extremist groups.What to do?,the double standard police would have used tear gas and water guns to shoot and arrest if those staging protest happen to be ‘Keling’ and ‘mata sepet’.
In Penang, d Muslim mamak grp could carry coffins n yell “Hidup Melayu” in front of polis, OK 1; imagine other grps yelled “Hidup Kadazandusun” or “Hidup India”, OK or not?
Don’t be surprise if JP suddenly change his race and religion.
I love the country prior to Mamakthir coming to power and spoiling everything. Life was so much more harmonious before he poisoned everything in his path.
I pity his wife and the good ones,childrens,forced to share his perverted self-interest vision.Or are they all the same bloody SOB?VOID OF RIGHT CONSCIENCE AND DIGNITY?.MOST DISGRACEFUL DICTATOR OF ALL HUMANDKIND.A VERY DISGRACEFUL PERSON IN MANKIND HISTORY!F..K..N..G SHAMEFUL PA..R..H!
//I love the country prior to Mamakthir coming to power and spoiling everything. Life was so much more harmonious before he poisoned everything in his path//-Godfather
Your eyes must ‘affix stamp’, brother. You not afraid UNMOB goons lodge police report against you? Now Mamak very paufool, you know that? Half of Malay population in Bolehland under his kontro.