KUCHING: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo has expressed astonishment at Parti Bumi Kenyalang’s (PBK) flip-flop position on its Sarawak independence policy.
She noted that PBK had signed a memorandum for an independence referendum (IR) which it later rejected.
“This ‘blow hot, blow cold’ attitude on Sarawak independence shows PBK’s political immaturity and lack of strategy for a doable and achievable blueprint for Sarawak independence,” she said yesterday (Sept 19).
Soo also said she disagreed with PBK’s president Voon Lee Shan’s statement that the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was legally recognised under international law.
“The International Court of Justice (ICJ) lacks law making authority and merely provides non-binding legal opinions in an advisory role, and only the 15-member Security Council of the United Nations is empowered to enforce international law, not ICJ.
“The ICJ ruling on Kosovo UDI is merely an advice to say that UDI is not against international law, but falls short of declaring that UDI is international law, and I hope PBK will get this distinction right so as not to mislead the electorate,” she said.
She argued that if the UDI was an international law, and a state could simply become independent by just a show of hands in Parliament, then Scotland, Catalonia, Kashmir, Okinawa and dozens of aspiring nations would have already done it.
“What is PBK’s backup plan when upon declaring a UDI, the federal government immediately declares an emergency and sends the army in to impose a curfew. How will the party ensure the safety and security of Sarawakians?” she asked.
Soo assured that Aspirasi’s stand on the referendum process had always been consistent, whereby the party has even codified its political struggle for an independence referendum in its election manifesto for the 12th State Election which was officially launched a year ago.
She added that former chief minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem had also successfully declared and gazetted ‘Sarawak Independence Day’ commencing July22,2016 which has provided the people the launching pad to complete its journey to full independence.
“Sarawak independence is non-negotiable and will be achieved through constitutional, lawful and peaceful process with the consent of the people,” said Soo.
