We only want a fair deal, says Sarawak rally organiser
The Sarawak for Sarawakians rally on Wednesday was all about asking the Federal Government for fair treatment, not for the state to leave Malaysia, said its main organiser Peter John Jaban.
He said it was also about celebrating the day Sarawak gained independence from the British on July 22, 1963.
Peter, who is being investigated by police under the Sedition Act for organising the rally, said he had not done anything wrong.
“The police questioned me for six hours on Wednesday after the rally. I never said any seditious words, I never said Sarawak should come out of Malaysia. I’ll just wait for the police to conclude their investigations,” he told reporters yesterday.
Peter said the event proceeded smoothly without any trouble or untoward events despite a warning from Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to cancel it over concerns that it would be used to incite secessionist sentiments.
He said the rally sent a clear and strong message to the Federal Government that Sarawak had been “neglected” and “treated like a stepchild” despite being a founding partner of Malaysia.
“All we want is a fair deal for our state as promised to us under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“We want control over our own resources, especially oil and gas, so that we can support our own development.
“We want control over the education of our children so that they can get the same opportunities as those across the South China Sea; we want control over our borders so that we can maintain our harmony.
“We want freedom to practise the religions of our choice; we want the respect due to being a founding partner of Malaysia,” he said.
