The organiser of a walk to commemorate the anniversary of Sarawak's independence tomorrow says the event will proceed in Kuching despite police advice to cancel it over concerns that the march would be used to call for the state's secession from Malaysia.
Peter John Jaban , the organising chairman of the 722 Sarawak Freedom and Independence Day Walk, dismissed as "rubbish" the claim by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar that the event would be used to whip up sentiments to push for Sarawak's secession.
He said the organisers had met the police "many times" over the walk, to be held at the Song Kheng Hai rugby ground in Padungan, and had given assurance that it would not be a political event.
“We totally deny those claims (of calling for secession).
“We have met the police many times on this and we had given our assurance that this gathering would not be a political event, except maybe to ask Putrajaya to give us what is rightfully Sarawak's, like the oil and gas royalty and reinstate English as medium of instruction in Sarawak schools,” Jaban said in response to Khalid's warning earlier today.
“We deny that there is such an attempt to hijack the gathering to whip up Sarawak's secession."
He said the organisers had then steps to prevent the gathering from turning political, and were aware of the possibility of "outsiders trying to cause trouble".
Jaban said participants have been advised that if they encountered people who behaved provocatively, there were to immediate link arms with their friends and sit down to expose those making trouble.
He added that police would be present and also some 100 Rela (People's Volunteer Corps) personnel to facilitate the walk.
“I've already said participants from political parties can participate but without any party symbol or logo and no shouting of political slogans.”
Peter John Jaban
He said claims of secession calls looked more like attempts at stopping the civil society groups behind the walk.
These groups were the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) and Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S).
“What is wrong with ordinary rakyat coming together and mark our independence day?
“They spent out of their own pocket to get to Kuching,” he said of participants who had travelled from other towns to get to Kuching.
“The rakyat want to celebrate. All those information the police are getting is pure rubbish.”
An official ceremony by the state government will also be held at the parade grounds of the Sarawak legislative assembly in Petra Jaya tomorrow, with Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem attending.
Sarawak will mark its 52nd year of independence from Britain, when the last colonial governor, Sir Alexander Waddell, handed authority over to then chief minister Datuk Stephen Kalong Ningkan.
This year has seen more civil society groups organising activities to mark the anniversary.
Last Sunday, the Dayak National Congress, together S4S, staged simultaneous independence rallies in the major towns of Kuching, Sibu and Miri. – TMI
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