Big mistake to stay in Malaysia, says Sarawak party supporting breakaway

Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan today said it had been a mistake to join Malaysia, calling ties with Putrajaya “not workable” in the state’s interests.

“PBK would like to clarify our stand that we are fighting for Sarawak’s independence,” he said at a press conference in Kuching.

“For us to stay in Malaysia was a big mistake.”

He said the Malaysia Agreement signed in 1963 was also null and void as it was not in accordance with international law.

“The rights and powers of Sarawak and Sabah under MA63 still have to be ‘negotiated’ again after many years of breaches,” he said.

“Even the MA63 negotiations by the present governments, both state and federal – until now, we don’t know what has been negotiated.”

Voon also questioned the transparency of the Cobbold Commission, the commission of enquiry formed in 1962 to determine whether those in Sabah and Sarawak supported the move to join the federation.

“The formation of Malaysia from many legal aspects was null and void,” he said.

“The Cobbold Commission and MA63 were not done properly.”

Independence for Sarawak is one of the main missions of PBK, which is contesting the state polls for the first time.

PBK is fielding candidates in 73 of the 82 seats in the Sarawak legislative assembly. Voon is in a five-way contest for Batu Lintang, where he served as a DAP assemblyman for the 2006-2011 term.

Other pledges in the party’s manifesto, titled “PBK Passport to Prosperity, Freedom and Independence”, include the provision of free education for students at government tertiary institutions as well as deposit subsidies for first-time home buyers.