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Lina Soo holds up her book Sarawak: The Real Deal in which she documents the state's history.
KUCHING
(Sept 24): A group of Sarawakians mulls suing the British Government
for failing to return sovereignty to the state before the formation of
Malaysia, 50 years ago.
Recent
declassified British colonial documents appear to support the group's
claims that the British colonial office colluded with Malaya leaders to
secretly contrive the sovreignty of British Borneo to Malaya.
“The
British were masterminds and strategists. Despite massive opposition to
the Malaysia Plan, they denied Borneo colonies rights to
self-determination,” said Lina Soo, who compiled all these historical
facts and information into a book.
Entitled of 'Sarawak: The Real Deal',
the 124-paged book containing 10 chapters highlights Sarawak's history,
includes selected colonial documents, anti-Malaysia campaign and other
information on the formation of Malaysia.
The sub-heading of the book reads 'How a Kingdom was betrayed in an intrigue of trickery, coercion an subterfuge'.
The
last few pages in Chapter 10 centres on when Singapore left the
federation of Malaysia in 1965 to become an independent nation. Sarawak
and Sabah were warned by Britain not to try to follow suit.
“The
book is to give Sarawakians an informed account based on both Sarawak
and British official sources of the events leading to the formation of
Malaysia,” Soo told reporters at the book launch today.
Soo,
who has been campaigning for Borneo Agenda in the past few years, said
because of British’s failure to honour the United Nation decolonisation
process, it led to serious consequences for both Sarawak and North
Borneo (now Sabah).
“Sarawak
and Sabah were plundered of their oil and resources for 50 years and
both states became the most impoverished parts of Malaysia,” she said,
adding that a group of people, including a few lawyers, was preparing
the legal documents to file the suit.
She
said the main objective is to determine whether Sarawak voluntarily
join the federation to form Malaysia, and whether Sarawak can federated
with other nation before gaining sovereignty.
In
addition, she said the case would seek compensation from the British
for its violation of human rights and the people’s unalienable right to
independence under international law.
The
54-year-old housewife, who stood in the last general election under
State Reform Party’s (STAR) ticket, is also calling for volunteers and
contributors to come forward. She plans to raise £50,000 (RM256,593) to
prepare researched documentation and to acquire legal opinion.
Registered
supporters who pay a registration fees of RM50 have been promised a
share of the compensation money should they win the case.
Read more: http://fz.com/content/
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