©New
Straits Times (Used by permission)
by John Teo
THERE is a perfectly good reason why the state secretariat building in Kuching
is named Wisma Bapa Malaysia in honour of the first prime minister. It is worth
recalling this on the eve of Merdeka Day as both Sarawak and Sabah kick off
major celebrations of their 45th independence anniversary (in Sarawak's case, as
early as a month ago).
This is particularly relevant at this critical political
juncture when some in both states are screaming loudly for "payback" after
decades of perceived federal neglect.
It was by default rather than design, however, that the two states ended up
being national political king–makers crying "payback": it is almost entirely the
result of the unexpected misfortune suffered by Barisan Nasional in the
peninsula.
How members of parliament from the two states comport themselves now and in the
near future will decide how they and the states they represent will be viewed.
History is weighing on their shoulders. They will either shine or wilt under the
glare of the national spotlight.
Difficult times such as these call for statesmanship. Sarawak and Sabah will
need to act respectfully and reflect on the Tunku's singular and uncommon act of
statesmanship, which brought about Malaysia.
It is easy for Sarawakians and Sabahans now to forget that
just prior to Malaysia, both territories were unwanted colonies that Britain
sought to unburden itself of without appearing to abandon helpless cubs to
hungry wolves in Indonesia and the Philippines.
In Sarawak's case, it was more like a double abandonment. Ravaged after World
War 2, and poor in known natural resources, Sarawak's feuding Brooke family
pressed Britain to take the territorial inheritance granted it by the Sultan of
Brunei, against some vehement local opposition.
Already oil–rich, Brunei decided against joining Malaysia, and prosperous
Singapore was ejected after two tumultuous years. The poor cousins that were
Sarawak and Sabah were thus left entirely as the sole responsibility of Malaya.
The two states' hydrocarbon bonanza came fortuitously, much later. This should
cut all the inane and boastful coffee–shop talk about how Sarawak and Sabah came
into federation as fully "equal" partners, whatever that may mean.
Some in Sarawak and Sabah wistfully wonder, if tiny Brunei and impoverished
Timor Leste can go it alone, why not both our states? Again, this reflects small
minds not properly thinking through ideas.
The province of Alberta in Canada, for example, now has known oil reserves in
its tar sands that surpass Saudi Arabia's, but while there are inevitable
grumblings about helping to bankroll the rest of Canada, few there dispute the
benefits of being part of a larger federation, especially in a fully globalised
world.
At any rate, Sarawak's and Sabah's timber wealth is more or less gone, making
only a few fabulously wealthy in both states. The oil and gas reserves may also
run out in our lifetime. Still, the two states have much to learn from the
peninsula on the critical matter of broad governance and political leadership.
While the Tunku was instrumental in forging the expanded federation, Tun Abdul
Razak built on it, particularly in the aftermath of the catastrophic May 13,
1969 events before meeting an untimely death.
Tun Hussein Onn will long be remembered as a no–nonsense corruption–buster. Tun
Dr Mahathir Mohamad will teach us that while it can easily become too cushy
after more than two decades as prime minister, it is not anyone's destiny to
hold on to high office indefinitely simply because they can.
Many may now regard Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with disappointment after
perhaps unreasonably high expectations, but few will dispute that he, like all
his illustrious predecessors, means well in wanting to do what he feels is right
for the country.
Wisma Bapa Malaysia is, therefore, a fitting reflection of Sarawak's debt of
gratitude to the Tunku for this great federation. Sarawak and Sabah still have
work to do to make that gratitude concrete, and not just in brick and mortar.
After 45 years, they need to think less in terms of what they can get out of
federation and more about how they can contribute towards making it even greater
for all Malaysians.