Kota Kinabalu: The opposition will focus on promoting the pledges of the Batu Sumpah (oath stone) to woo voters in the 14th general election (GE14) in Sabah.
Gelang Patah MP and DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang (pic) said three pledges were inscribed in stone in Keningau in conjunction with Sabah’s decision to join in the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
He said these must be upheld by the current federal and state governments.
Lim said ensuring these pledges are fulfilled was more important than moving it from its current location in the compound of the new Keningau district office.
“This will be one of the major issues in the next general election, both national and in Sabah,” he said.
“What is of paramount importance is not the ‘relocation’ of Batu Sumpah, but to ensure the three reciprocal pledges on religion, Orang Asal customs and land are living commitments of both the federal and Sabah state governments.”
The oath stone was erected to commemorate the terms by which Sabah, which was then known as North Borneo, joined Sarawak and states in the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963.
The stone, which bears a plaque with the inscribed pledges, was officially unveiled on Aug 31, 1964 at the compound of the old Keningau district office.
The pledges provide that there would be freedom of religion in Sabah, that the Sabah government holds authority over land matters in the state, and that native customs and traditions would be respected and upheld by the government.
However, the original plaque with the key words “Malaysian Government Guarantees” went missing for over 30 years before it was found but had yet to be installed back despite an order by Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Nazri Aziz, who has since also announced a RM1.025m allocation for its relocation.
Lim said since the last general election in May 2013, the two DAP MPs in Sabah, Jimmy Wong (Kota Kinabalu) and Stephen Wong (Sandakan), had kept the oath stone’s pledges in the limelight in the Dewan Rakyat.
Meanwhile, Lim said Sabah has a lot to offer to the nation in the fight against all forms of extremism.
He said mutual understanding and respect of race and religious beliefs which have long been the trademark of the State should be emulated by all Malaysians.
“I think Sabah has something to give. It should not follow what others say or do.
Sabah can be a teacher on how the different ethnics, races and religion can live in harmony.
Sabah can make this country great,” he said.
Lim said this in response to a statement by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the need to win the ideological war in the global fight against terrorism. He was reported as saying that the battle could be won via authentic narratives of Islam which offer a better understanding of the religion.
“What’s most important is that Malaysia must reject extremism. It must not be tolerated. And Sabah is a good example. Here people (of different races and religions) understand and respect each other,” he said.
The Gelang Patah Member of Parliament said the situation is not the same in the peninsula.
“In peninsula Malaysia, mutual respect is getting less and less,” he said, citing the example of a group’s protest against his son, who is also Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, over joining breaking of fast gatherings during the Muslim fasting month.
The group, Jaringan Muslimin Pulau Pinang, said Lim should convert to Islam if he wanted to break fast with Muslims.
Their actions were criticised by the MCA whose central committee member Ti Lian Ker was reported as saying that “Malaysians have had enough nonsense by “extreme” movements, who are acting against national interests.”
Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz of Umno was also critical of the group, saying it was wrong for them to use religion for their political motives. He accused them of giving Muslims a bad name. BNN- DE.
