In the year 1973, a historian I became

Penang in 1846, watercolour painting by Charles Andrew Dyce
to show mercantile tradition during the early years of Penang Free School

Graduated in 1973, major
History.

In the year 1973, a historian I became.  I got my training at the Universiti Sains Malaysia,  Penang from the years 1971-73.  Upon graduation in 1973 I majored in history.  In 1973 I submitted an essay for the inter-university history writing competition entitled " The Concept of Malaysian National History".  The essay won first place in English section and I received the award signed and handed by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Hussein Onn  in Kuala Lumpur.   My love of history has blossomed ever since and I continued to spread the love of history while in schools where I taught the subject to Form Five students.  While in the Educational Mass Media Service in Kuching I produced a radio programme on history which was broadcasted to schools in Sarawak in the late 70's called "Sejarah".
Over the years I did not write much history especially during the times when I was carrying the business as a contractor.  But once the internet became  more popular in Sarawak in the early 2000's , I began to be active again.  The internet provided the means for me to publish my writing and reach a worldwide audience.  With the new opportunities I started to make a comeback by blogging on history.  The history blogs I created are as follows:
1)  Images of Bintulu before and now
2)  The first 100 years of Penang Free School
3)  My Bintulu History
4)  Open coasts to mountain highs

Sometime in September last year, an article written by Bernama and shared with other news media in Malaysia regarding the changes in Bintulu  referred me as 'Bintulu historian', a title I feel good about .
History writing is a self-driven activity.  Like any other historian my dream is to produce a book on the history of Bintulu especially during its modern or contemporary era.   The process has started with blogging and I hope the printed form will come out soon.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.

Note: This is the 9th  post on what it is meant to be a Malaysian as part of my writing contribution to Malaysia Day which will  to be celebrated on the 16th of September.)

Once there was a diary

Collection of my diaries, management diaires and  journal books since 1964 in my study

1967 diary made of hardboard paper
and cotton strings

 One life-long habit of mine is to keep a diary.  Sometimes the diaries are complemented by notes, travelogue and journal books, photographs and news cuttings.  I keep diaries to help me remember events and happenings impinging on my life.  Jottings in a diary help me practice self-talk.  The aim is to be truthful to myself in facing the negative talk in life and to counter them with positive self-talk.  In this digital era my diary writing is further supplemented in blog posts that take into account my daily experiences further enhanced by digital images.  In many ways blogging exposes you to the outside world so there is a fine line between private and public consumption in your life's jottings.  Tomorrow, 16th September,  Malaysians will celebrate "Malaysia Day", the day the nation was born 51 years ago.   Below is a glimpse of what happened on "Malaysia Day" in 1967 with a stark difference.  In 1967 Malaysia Day was celebrated on 31 August.  But that is now history as the date has been changed to its proper date i.e. 16th September. Thanks to historians the truth finally wins the day.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!!!

     
 (Note: On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

A glimpse of my life's happenings on Malaysia Day in 1967 while a Form Four Student at Tanjong Lobang School,  Miri.

A decorated arch to welcome Malaysia Day in the 1960's.

Once there was a pond

The Flamingo pond is shown at the foreground.  Note the name of the park on the grassed slope - "Taman Hidupan Liar" to mean 'Wildlife park' in Malay.  The park was officially opened to the Bintulu public and visitors on 2 August,1991.

Greater Flamingoes
Phoenicophocus ruber

 There is a wild life park in Bintulu or Taman Hidupan Liar in Malay.  It was established in 1991.  It was one of my pet projects.   Sarawak is sometimes referred to as "Land of the Hornbills" and Borneo on which it is located is one of the most biologically diversified  tropical paradise on earth.  Thus it was a  very interesting proposition those days to bring in the flamingoes to Bintulu, the first ever flamingoes in Sarawak and the great Borneo island for that matter.  Upon arrival in Bintulu they were temporarily housed in a caged location .  But once they were healthy and strong, they were transferred to their permanent home, a pond at the entrance of the park. The spot where the pond is found is indicated on the layout plan below.  There were tons of pleasure in doing the wildlife park but the most challenging was to fly in the flamingoes from Tanzania. More details about the flamingo story can be accessed in another blog of mine as in  here.  We have done the impossible.  Sarawak can do.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!!

(Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

Layout Plan of the Wildlife Park or Taman Hidupan Liar

Greater flamingo (Phoenicophous ruber) - getting comfortable in a pond designed for their home and permanent stay at Binulu.  A flock of 23 birds were flown in from Tanzania, Africa.

Me at play with a flamingo, 1991.

Once there was a stall

BDA Exhibition stall fully optimising allocated space, enhanced with new presentation ideas and techniques.

 In 1988 just 10 years after BDA (Bintulu Development Authority) was created as a Sarawak state statutory body, it took part in a state-level development expo held at Kuching.  This was the first time BDA was to expose itself  to the Kuching public and outside visitors of Sarawak  in the form of a development stall exhibition.  I was given the responsibility to coordinate and implement the BDA stall from concept to construction.  I had the best men to do the job.  Fumiaki Izumuda, a landscape architect attached to my Landscaping Division was tasked with the design of the stall.  Hong Seng Teck, an engineer and doing the quantity surveying in BDA was tasked with procurement of relevant materials in Kuching.  Both of them were assisted by electricians, carpenters, painters and general workers from the BDA.  Many novelties were introduced in the stall like the use of large transparencies with light boxes, models and a zoning map or structure plan.  During those times Bintulu was the only town in Sarawak that has a urban Structure Plan.  BDA's participation in the exhibition provided lots of experiences for me in doing exhibitions.  Later, in my days as a contractor I was able to successfully do many exhibitions for the national oil company, Petronas and Sarawak Shell based on my experiences in undertaking three major exhibitions during my BDA days.  The 1988 exhibition however was exceptional for BDA because it provided a platform for  aggressive marketing and branding of Bintulu's potentials to foreign and domestic stakeholders to jointly partake in its industrialization agenda.  Today, in its fourth boom starting in 2010 Bintulu is poised to become an industrial showpiece of Sarawak or Malaysia for that matter.

To see more images of Bintulu before and now, check them out in my other blog here .

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The week-long Development Expo started on 16 September, 1988 ; Opening hours 8 am - 10 pm daily.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!!

(Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

Once there was a sculpture

Clay model entitled ' Seated Figure', done in 1968

 The days spent at Tanjung were formative years in my development as an artist.  In 1968 barely 5 years after Sarawak jointly formed Malaysia with Sabah, Malaya and Singapore, I was studying art in Form Five as an exam subject for my School Cambridge.  In that year I made a sculpture in clay called 'Seated Figure'.  My initial and the year the work was done are inscribed on the sculpture.  My days spent at Tanjung Lobang School (and later named Tanjung Lobang College) were 1967-68 (Form Four - Form Five)  and 1969-70 (Lower Six -Upper Six).  Those were days of creative freedom that instilled in me a deep and lasting passion for the arts, fine arts and performing arts.  These were fully encouraged by the school principal by the name of Robert Nicholl.  The conducive environment provided by the school and the expert guidance of our art teacher Mr. Voong Kiat Hui made us enjoy art in ways that have far lasting impact after we left the school, and continues to this day.  I still keep this clay model and is a prized collection for me.  I have written quite extensively about Mr. Voong .  The links are here, more here and finally here.

On reflection I really  feel fortunate to have studied at Tanjung Lobang School  and especially the art instruction I received there.  In many ways it has given me a rounded education that encouraged creativity and passion for the arts - fine arts and performing as well.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!!

  (Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

Me in Form Five with the clay model - 'Seated Figure'. 1968.

Once there was a school magazine

 In 1979, the Sekolah Menengah Kerajaan Bintulu (previously known as Bintulu Government Secondary School)  issued its 13th School Magazine.  I was invited to write a message  by its editorial board being the school's new principal.  This was another memorable moment in my life's adventures.  At 28 years of age I was sent by the Education Headquarters in Kuching to assume the position of headmaster.  I assumed this new role on the 1st of July,1979.  The 13th issue of SMK Bintulu magazine is one of my prized collection.  My first ever message as principal of SMK Bintulu is shown below.  Towards the end of 1980 I left the Education Department after completing my 5 years scholarship bond to join another state statutory body called Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) which was newly set up to spearhead the development of Bintulu.  The appointment as principal completes my association with the school as a student in Form One in 1964, a teacher in 1975 and a Headmaster in 1979.  I created history because this was  the first time that the school has its own Bintulu born son to assume the position of Headmaster, since its inception in 1963.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak.


 (Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

Once there was a children's theater

SMK Bintulu students performing the children's play 'Dewi Bunga'.

 With the vigour and freshness of a trained teacher in 1975, I set upon a dream to produce a children's theater for the students of Sekolah Menengah Kerajaan Bintulu or SMK Bintulu in short.  The children's drama was based on a script by one of my course mates in USM or Universiti Sains Malaysia by the name of Shamsiah Mohamad.  We were the very few undergraduates who opted for the elective subject 'Children's Theater' in 1973.  The play was written in Bahasa Malaysia.  What was novel in this children's theater was its concept.  In this drama the students were playing the roles of children and interacting with characters from the animal and plant kingdom. I was excited to introduce to Bintulu a real children's theater i.e. the experiences of life from the viewpoint of young eager, curious and happy minds. The child 's world of fantasy and unlimited possibilities and imagination were given a free rein. The animal and plant characters began to be alive with human values and freely interact with the children. The children could quickly and easily symphatise with the characters because these characters are close to the world of children every where in the world.

'Dewi Bunga' -  children's theater performed by students taking Bahasa Malaysia subject staged at the SMK Bintulu school stage in 1975

Today, I find a real dearth in the production or staging of real children's theater in Sarawak schools   despite our early attempts to introduce it way back in 1975.  Whether the plays are in English or Bahasa Malaysia is of irrelevance. In producing dramas, we should write the script from the children's point of view or from the "eyes "of the children.  I am waiting to hear news of schools in Bintulu or Sarawak for that matter to  produce or stage real children's theatre based on stories that can help with the development of  their creativity, communication skills,  moral upbringing, social and  emotional intelligence.  I am happy for once that my dream came true in 1975.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!

 (Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

Once there was a roundabout

Combo picture to show R1 before and a recent satellite image of the same area

Roundabout One

A visitor to Bintulu in the early 1980's - 1990's would be familiar with the pace of rapid development in roads infrastructure to meet rising traffic and population of this newly booming town.  Roundabouts were once  a novel and regular feature that dotted the road map of Bintulu.  In the mid 80's - 90's I was kept busy with the landscaping of three major roundabouts around town.  These were Roundabout 1, 2 and 3.  Up to a certain point roundabouts do serve their function well and beautifully.  The construction of these roundabouts entail lots of planting space for landscaping.  Furthermore the whole landscape is enhanced by the presence of traffic islands adjacent to the roundabouts that were also given landscaping touches. At the point of writing (2 Sept'14) all these roundabout have been replaced overtime.  These pictures which I took while implementing the landscaping works do tell the story of how beautiful Bintulu was with these properly landscaped and maintained roundabouts and traffic islands.  Today I  have taken the liberty to update with  google earth satellite maps the sites of the three roundabouts.

Combo picture to show R2 before and a recent satellite image of the same area

Combo picture to show R3  before and a recent satellite image of the same area

I have written quite a fair bit on these roundabouts in another blog of mine. Checkout the story of Roundabout Two here and Roundabout Three here . In retrospect it is much to the prevalence of these beautiful roundabouts that Bintulu has earned the identity of a beautiful town besides its miles and miles of shady and fully landscaped roads.  I felt good that in my time the groundwork for proper landscaping of the town was laid down early.

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!

 (Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

Once there was a book

Gem of a book, 1981
The few rare copies still in my keeping...

 On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  This is the first of the series I call " Once there was a ...".  In this first posting I will touch upon a small book of mine.  It was published in 1981 in Kuching, Sarawak.  The book was entitled " Lukisan Pameran dan Puisi MOOD".  The book was meant to accompany my first solo art exhibition at the Sarawak Museum in Kuching.  The exhibition besides displaying paintings also presented some of the poems in graphic forms.  A close friend of mine Mr.Reg Salisbury consented to read and record the poems at the recording studio of RTM, Kuching.  The recorded poems in English were played during the exhibition hours. To read examples of my poems in the book please go to this link here...

Part of my crew for managing the exhibition in a group photo, 1981.
Note the portrait at right.  A close-up of the painting and poem is shown below.

The book has poems in English and Malay.  The above poem is Malay is incorporated in the book.

Part of the poem, extracted from the book.

The book is a real gem in many ways.  Copies of it were kept firstly at the US Library of Congress, and then other libraries like the  National Library of Australia Collection and Yale University Library.  To have it kept by these libraries was a real reward for all the efforts I made to realize the exhibition and the book. 1981 seemed years ago but it is close to my heart even to this day.  Enjoy one of the readings of the poem by Reg Salisbury here  .  The book incorporated 7 pages of sketches I did which acted as catalogue for the paintings.  These sketches can be seen here . 

Happy Malaysia Day, Sarawak!


  (Note:  On the 16th of September, Sarawak will celebrate its independence being a party to the formation of Malaysia.  As part of remembering history I'll create some posts on what  it means to be a Malaysian as I have experienced it.  Check out the rest of the postings by following this link here.)

ONCE UPON A KUALA

View of the 'Kuala" or river mouth of the Kemena river
At left is the Melanau fishing village and at right (partially seen) is the original town of Bintulu
Picture shows Bintulu in the early 1960's
Picture credit : Ho Ah Choon, "Sarawak in Pictures 1940's - 1970's

It is interesting to note how a river mouth ("Kuala" in Malay) can assume such great significance in a town's history.  For me it is always etched in my memory.  Checkout a little story about the Kuala Kemena here ...>>>>http://mybintuluhistory3.blogspot.com/2013/08/once-upon-kuala-river-mouth.html

ONCE UPON A TREE

Pic taken on 14 July 2012

When I wrote about this tree in 2013, it was still there and alive.  Now at the point of writing (31 August 2014), it is still standing tall.  Checkout a little bit of history about this Mango tree here ...>>>http://mybintuluhistory3.blogspot.com/2013/08/once-upon-tree.html

ONCE UPON A PAINTING

Spray of Flowers
Watercolour on paper, 71cm x 95 cm, 18 April 1974.
Artist collection

Here's a little bit of history about a painting I did in 1974..... Once upon a painting

ONCE UPON A RADIO

Picture above is taken from a tiny book about Sarawak entitled " Memperkenalkan Serawak",
written by R.M. Jasmi and  published by Sinaran Bros, North Borneo in 1958.
The picture shows the Sarawak Radio Building which produced and broadcasted radio programmes and also radio lessons for schools throughout Sarawak.  The broadcast reached Bintulu in fairly clear reception in 1963.

EMS ( Educational Mass Media Service )
Building in 1970's.  During colonial time
the building was called 'The Pavillion'.

 Just months before Sarawak became independent from the British colonial government and its forming the Federation of Malaysia on the 16th of September in 1963, I was a Primary Six student at St.Anthony's School, Bintulu. During those days the whole school curriculum was taught in English.  But the learning of English did not end in the classrooms. I participated in the school drama called 'The Black Basin', sang songs and debated in English.  It was really nostalgic for me to know that 16 years later I was to head the Educational Radio section of the Educational Mass Media Service arm of the Sarawak Education Department in the years 1978 -1979 in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak. .  At the inset is the picture of my office while I was in charge of the school's broadcasting programmes.  I occupied a big room at the building and from it our radio producers created radio programmes in many languages like English, Malay, Chinese and Iban for schools in Sarawak. In 1963 however I was very keen to write to the School Broadcasting Officer to inquire about many general knowledge questions.  I wrote four letters and below is one letter I received from Alan Moore dated 1st July,1963.  In those days, primary school students really looked forward to listening the  radio lessons broadcasts to learn how to speak the language correctly and listened to the replies of their letters on air from Kuching.

Above is the broadcasting schedule of the school's broadcast in 1979, days of broadcast and time of broadcast included
Note the subject "Anna and Abu" - this was the broadcast for the learning of English for Primary 5 students, produced by Reg Salisbury, a Colombo Plan expert for the teaching of English through radio..

Picture shows Reg Salisbury taken by me while having lunch at a food stall in Miri.

During my short stint at the Educational Radio I was most fortunate to work with Reg Salisbury who was from the BBC and acted as a Colombo Plan expert in the teaching of English by way of radio lessons.  We went around Sarawak to promote the 'Anna and Abu' programme together with printed teaching aids to teachers as remote as Bario in the Kelabit Highlands and little known places like  Awat-Awat near Limbang.
While working together in Kuching I managed to get Reg Salisbury read my poems and recorded them in the studio of RTM (Radio and Television Malaysia) in Kuching.  Here is one of my poems read by Reg Salisbury called " Hasyimah"....of which I think the BBC voice is just superb.  Check out the reading here...>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DireBC97YI

Happy Malaysia Day Sarawak!!

Have a Hibiscus?

The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Sarawak has a vernacular name pronounced as 'Bunga Raya' in Malay ( see inset) . Why is this plant so prominent in Malaysia? A short walk back in time will bring us to 1960 , just three years after the release of Malaya from the colonial regime of the British.

The newly elected Prime Minister ( Tunku Abdul Rahman) declared on 28 July 1960 the Bunga Raya as the national flower. Of course, as history would have it the states of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya formed the new federation of Malaysia on the 16th of September, 1963 and thereby continued to accept the Bunga Raya as the national flower of Malaysia.

The Bunga Raya in my 'Laman Kambatik' garden in Kuching this morning.

The species that was accepted as the national flower is the scarlet or red variety that is commonly seen in rural villages throughout Malaysia. That factor has been one of the many deciding ones that made it the preferred choice. Besides, according the the selection panel, red suggests bravery. Not bad colour for a young nation. Further, it is a very hardy plant that requires minimum attention or care. Unless of course you decide to plant the many new hibiscus hybrids that may look more appealing in modern and varying colours and sizes but alas are easy prey to insects and other pests. When in secondary schooling (1967-1968) I always remember how my biology teacher so often bring it to class. It was such a typical local plant and being easy to obtain ended up as the main target for the dissection table. But before cutting them to pieces our curiosity was drawn to its external reproductive parts. The Bunga Raya showed it all - calyx, sepal, petal, style, stigma, stamen,anther and pollen in plain sight.

Today I decided to do a water colour rendition of the Bunga Raya as shown above. The painting was done in less than an hour. To all Malaysians- let's celebrate today's Jubilee Year of the Bunga Raya by planting a Bunga Raya in our garden. Have a hibiscus ? I do.

What the Father of Sarawak Ibans - "Apai" Jugah said?

Is Malaysia like sugar cane?

It was on the 16th of September, a few weeks ago that the whole of Malaysia recognised for the first time in its history, the formation of Malaysia with a public holiday- after a lapse of 47 years!. Remembering the formation of Malaysia, Datuk James Wong writing in the local daily ( Borneo Post dated 19 Sept'10) mentioned what Jugah said about Malaysia. Jugah a contemporary of Datuk James, cautioned in the Iban language - " Anang Malaysia sebaka tebu, manis di pon, tawar di ujung" which roughly translated means Malaysia should not be like the sugar cane stem, sweet at the head and getting less and less sweet, tasteless and dry towards the end.


Jugah is unmistakenably one of the greatest Ibans in living memory. The picture at the inset shows Jugah at one of the sessions in the Malaysian Parliament sporting his iconic hairstyle. Did the Beatles imitate his hairstyle? Just wondering.


Affectionately called " Apai" which in Iban means 'father', Jugah (1900-1981) was very proud to be an Iban and he did so prominently when in 1959 he wore a traditional head gear and without wearing any shirt to welcome His Highness Prince Philip at the Council Negeri chamber in Kuching. He even spoke in Iban to welcome Prince Philip. He was a man of war as well as a man of peace. It was with Jugah's weight that Tunku Abdul Rahman and the British Crown managed to enrol Iban support for the formation of Malaysia, since the Malays' voice and other minority Muslims were already represented by Tunku himself. It was left to Jugah to persuade his fellow country men who were either too politically illiterate, undecided and some anti-British to accept the notion of Malaysia. Jugah was posthousmously conferred the title "Tun". For later generations of Malaysians he should be remembered as one of the people who affixed their signatures on the agreement ending the Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia.


Presently the Ibans are found throughout the length and breadth of Sarawak but they predominate in the river basins of Rajang, Saribas and Batang Lupar which roughly occupy the central region of Sarawak especially in the undeveloped interior areas.

Above : Datuk James Wong and below is a poem by him about politicians.

A Special Breed

Politics has sometimes been called an occupation of Fools
As the whole aspiration is to be an accepted public fool!
There is very little honour or glory in it
Indeed, when all is said and done, damn little merit
A thousand good one does go with the wind
For one little mistake made or imagined
By a demanding and fickle Public
To whom, politicians must approbation seek.

What then keep politicians to the grinding mill?

Perhaps, a perverse pleasure and the thrill?
Or limelight and the pampering to a conceited ego
That hears drumbeats and sees salutes wherever they go?
Though this figment of imagination exists only in the mind
But 'tis enough grist for politicians of every hue and kind
To go happily marching on to glory or perdition?
Seeking political Valhalla and Vindication?

Or is it because of one's innate goodness and sincerity

To serve one's fellow citizens and community?
Feeling that if one does not help to kick the ball
The world would stop and not spin at all?!
Or is it because of selfishness and greed
To use politics as a speedy steed
In achieving greatness, honour and fame
Adding lustre to a common name?

Tired politcians have often spoke of "retiring"

But in practice is there such an unlikely thing?
Of politicians voluntarily withdrawing from the arena
Of politics and all that they hold dear?
Indeed, even those who "retired" have been known to voice
"I am ready to serve, if there is no other choice
Of suitable candidates to fit the BILL
Discount me not; I am here still"!


( Credits: James Wong Kim Min (1981) A Special Breed, Summer Times Publishing, Singapore.)

A Greater Malaysia - Happy " Malaysia Day" at last.

The first local Governor of Sarawak upon the formation of Malaysia, His Excellency Tun Abang Haji Openg bin Abang Sapi'ee, carried on a pedestal while visiting a 'kampung 'or village.

A treasured book of mine , first published in 1960. However, the above copy is a second edition - 1967 just after the formation of Malaysia. The gentleman posing is the first white Rajah ( Ruler) of Sarawak by the name of Sir James Brooke.

( Inset : The Sarawak Council Negeri sitting on Malaysia Day 1963)

This morning I'll take a bit of time to blog about the "Malaysia Day". For many years now Malaysia has not recognised its own creation in the form of a public holiday. Malaysia was formed in 1963, when the states of Sarawak, Sabah, Singapore and Semenanjung ( 11 states of British Malaya) decided to form a federation. The federation was very much engineered by the British which saw its time to govern overseas colonies was nearing its end. After a series of table negotiations , referendum etc., the British got the leaders to agree on a Constitution based on a federalised structure and a new name for the political entity called " Malaysia".

Tomorrow is the first time ever that the Federal government of Malaysia recognise its formation by celebrating 16th September as "Malaysia Day" and a public holiday. This is long wanting because since 1963 till today, i.e after a period of 47 years Sarawak and Sabah get to celebrate its struggle for independence by the formation of Malaysia. Previous to this, Sarawak and Sabah were "forced" to celebrate the National Day as Independence Day when the Semenanjung states (British Malaya) obtained independence from the British..i.e. on the 31st of August, 1957 - a date of no political historical relevance to Sarawak and Sabah. I think it was a political mistake on the part of our political leaders to sideline the birth date of Malaysia and to disregard it with a public holiday. Well, politicians can make darn and damned mistakes and some they pay heavily by losing power and influence. It was also due to rising unease engineered by the opposition parties in Malaysia lately on the opposition political campaigns to adopt 16th September as a public holiday that got the brains of federal leaders wired properly. So tomorrow the whole of Malaysia will celebrate a most meaningful holiday in their political existence. Therefore to all Malaysians of Sarawak origin I wish to say "Hidup Malaysia" or " Long Live Malaysia" to you all.

Sir Alexander Waddell, the last Governor of Sarawak under the Crown Colony. He is seen above entering the Council Negeri to open its 1960 session. Besides him is Mr.F.D. Jakeway, the Chief Secretary.

As a reminder to Sarawakians I wish to highlight certain aspects of its history before Malaysia from a little history book which was my basic school history text about Sarawak then ( see top picture )

Excerpts from The Story of Sarawak , pp.70-74.

"Sarawak was a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963. During that time four governors directed the development of the country. The first was Sir Charles Arden-Clarke. After three years Mr. Duncan took his place. Mr. Stewart did not govern long. Unfortunately, on his first visit to Sibu while he was walking past a row of Malay school children he was killed by a young Malay teacher. A group of men called "The Society of Thirteen" had ordered the teacher to attack the governor with a knife. This society did not want Sarawak to be a colony. Soon afterwards the British government appointed Sir Anthony Abell to be the third governor. Sir Anthony was governor of Sarawak. He left the country when Sarawak became a part of Malaysia.

In 1948, the Sarawak government made a law which allowed Local Authorities to be set up in each part of the country. Each Local authority is a council of men from the same district or division. It has the power to make laws for its own area and to have its own schools. Some councils also take care of such things as houses, fire stations, bus stations, electricity and water supply, bazaars and local roads. The country was divided into rural districts, and there were urban districts in Kuching, Sibu, and Miri. In 1956 the first election by secret vote in Sarawak was held for choosing the Municipal Council of Kuching.

Three years later, in 1959, the first general election was held in Sarawak. People in most parts of the country voted to choose members of their District or Municipal Councils. These councils in turn elected some of their members to go to Council Negeri. Finally, the Council Negeri elected some of its members to belong to the Supreme Councl.

In 1957. Sarawak got a new constitution which increased the size of the Council Negeri to forty -five members. This Constitution gave the Council Negeri to make more laws and to direct spending of government money. At the same time the Supreme Council was increased to ten members. The duty of the Supreme Council was to meet regularly in Kuching to discuss matters of importance to Sarawak and to give advice to the Governor.

While Sarawak was a Crown Colony, both the Sarawak and British government gave large sums of money to be used for Sarawak's growth and development. This money was spent to build roads, bridges, landing places for ships, airfields, and radio, and telephone services. It was used for new schools of at levels. It provided water and electric systems in towns, improvements in agriculture fisheries, forestry, hospitals and medical services, and many other things.

On 16th September 1963, Sarawak joined with Sabah ( the new name of North Borneo), Singapore, and the eleven states of Malaya to form the new Federation of Malaysia."

Credits: Vernon Mullen (1967) The Story of Sarawak (2nd edn.), Oxford University Press, London. pp.70-74

Two things I learn from this historical episode: Political mistakes can be corrected and Sarawakians are truly a tolerant lot.

Thanks God for

" Malaysia Day"

Think how you can make Malaysia a sustainable political , socio-economic and sovereign entity in your own small way because smart partnership starts with a little care, a tiny wish list and individual love. Do you love your country?