Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.
– George Washington, America’s first president
While ‘Bapa Malaysia’ Tunku Abdul Rahman has been named the Father of Independence, little has been mentioned about the role played by key Sarawakians in the creation of Malaysia.
It was Bapa Malaysia who first brought up the subject of a Federation of Malaysian states to include the Borneo territories at a Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ meeting in London on February 1, 1961.
Despite his enthusiasm, British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan “advised Tunku against giving the impression that Malaya wished to force the Borneo states to join them”. (Tunku: A pictorial Biography, 1987).
In July 1961, the Malayan Prime Minister accompanied Yang di-Pertuan Agong on a visit to Brunei with Ghazali Shafie, the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs, and was told that the sultanate was not ready to be part of the Federation.
Undeterred, the Tunku headed for Sibu and spent two days conferring with its political leaders, including left-wing Barisan Pemuda Sarawak (BPS), led by Sarawak’s first Bumiputera masters graduate Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Muhammed Noor.
By then, a memorandum of Tunku’s proposed ‘Greater Malaysia Plan’ had been sent to London.
A year later on February 19, 1962, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) formed a Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) to ascertain the views of the people of Sarawak and Sabah.
After the completion of the Cobbold Commission Report in April 1962, the way to independence was paved and the Report was signed and sealed on June 21, 1962.
Meanwhile in Sarawak, the wheels of Independence began with the formation the Sarawak Alliance on April 19, 1961.
The brainchild of the Sarawak National Party’s newly elected secretary-general Stephen Kalong Ningkan, he cobbled together a coalition of five parties to discuss Independence.
Apart from SNAP, the other four parties were BARJASA headed by Tuanku Bujang, PESAKA under Jugah Barieng, SCA led by Ling Beng Siew and PANAS under Abang Mustapha Abang Moasli.
However, at the 11th hour, PANAS pulled out of the coalition to support the opposition SUPP, Sarawak’s first political party which was formed in June 1959.
On March 8, 1963, the 14-point Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGC) was adopted by the Sarawak Council Negri when they agreed to “sail in convoy with the Good Ship Malaysia”.
Council Negri also endorsed the new supreme council with a chief minister, three officials and five elected Council Negri members and to increase the number of elected seats from 24 to 36 in the next meeting.
Kalong Ningkan fully endorsed the IGC report saying that the government was happy with the “generous terms of safeguards” for the state.
In the pre-Malaysia Divisional Advisory Council, 23 Alliance members of the total of 36 formed the government’s ‘Council Negri’ or state assemblymen.
The 23 Alliance Council Negri members were from SNAP, BARJASA and SCA and came from the Iban, Berawan, Bidayuh, Chinese, Lun Bawang, Malay, Melanau, Kayan and Kenyah communities.
They were Tutong Ningkan, Penghulu Tawi Sli, Penghulu Storey Ngumbang, TK Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Kadam Kiai, Dunstan Endawie Enchana, Temenggong Jugah Barieng, Penghulu Jinggut Attan, Tajang Laing, Sng Chin Joo, Pengarah Bayang, Penghulu Francis Umpau, Francis Bujang, Awang Hipni Pengiran Anu, Penghulu Abok Jalin, Kambar Bubin, Isa Ali, Sim Boon Liang, Mohamed Pauzi Hamdani, Sandom Nyuak, Temenggong Oyong Lawai Jau, Penghulu Baya Malang and Abing Nawan.
In the opposition were SUPP and PANAS. SUPP’s five elected Council Negri members were Ong Kee Hui, Stephen Yong Kuet Tze, Charles Linang, Chan Siaw Hee and Chong Kiun Kong and three of PANAS representatives, including Abang Mustapha Abang Moasli, Abang Othman Abang Mustapha and Leong Ho Yuen.
The remaining five elected ‘Independents’ were Abang Haji Abul Rahim Abang Moasli from Kuching, Dominic Dagok from Kampung Tebakang in Serian and three northern Sarawak representatives businessman James Wong Kim Min from Limbang and Borneo Evangelical Mission’s Lun Bawang pastor Racha Umong and Lawas’ countryman Mak Yau Lim.
The big day came on July 3, 1963 when Sarawak was invited to join representatives from the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak to sign the Malaysia Agreement with Great Britain.
The five-member Sarawak contingent was led by Abang Mustapha, a prominent Malay Abang Openg and Jugah.
Two other Chinese, Ong Kee Hui of SUPP and SCA’s Sibu tycoon Ling Beng Siew also joined them to London.
The Malaysia Agreement was signed on July 9.
On their return to Kuching on July 12, Ling suggested that the Alliance members meet at his house in Sibu to decide on a six-member ‘shadow cabinet’ before the official formation of the Federation schedule for August 31.
On the night of July 21, Jugah chaired a two-day meeting at Ling’s residence now called ‘Rumah Sarawak’ where a secret ballot elected Kalong Ningkan as the state’s first chief minister.
Limbang’s James Wong was named deputy chief minister while SNAP member Dunstan Endawie was next.
BARJASA’s Awang Hipni Pengiran Anu and Abdul Taib Mahmud and SCA’s Teo Kui Seng made up the remaining three.
On the morning of July 22, 1963 — now called Sarawak Day — the six cabinet members were sworn in as the state’s first cabinet before Governor-elect Jugah.
On July 26, the Chief Minister Kalong Ningkan recommended Barieng as the new governor but Tunku Abdul Rahman claimed that this was not appropriate because “it contravened an unwritten agreement that the first governor should be a Malay if the chief minister was a Dayak”.
Instead of Jugah, Abang Openg, was elevated to the position of Sarawak’s first governor.
A special portfolio was created for Jugah who became Minister for Sarawak Affairs on September 13.
As planned, on August 31, 1963, when the youngest of the inaugural cabinet, 26-year-old Australia-trained lawyer Abdul Taib Mahmud, was hand-picked to speak on Radio Sarawak on the events leading to Independence.
In my book ‘Abdul Taib Mahmud — 50 years in the news’, Taib said: “This day definitely is the most awaited day in the whole history of the country. We have just passed an adolescence culminating in our last general elections.
“We have proved to the world that we, the local people of Sarawak, can confidently shoulder the responsibilities of self-government. Let us remember this brilliant success we have achieved as an encouragement to all of us to strive harder for the progress of Sarawak.”
For 57 days, Ningkan and his cabinet held the reins of Sarawak new government and on the morning of September 15, Governor Sir Alexander Waddell left the Astana to cross the Sarawak River to Pangkalan Batu to say goodbye.
He welcomed his successor Openg, praised the state’s multi-racial communities and bade farewell to Sarawak.
As the Union Jack was lowered, the new Sarawak flag was proudly hoisted, heralding the beginning of a newly Independent Sarawak.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
