Sabah Sarawak Rights – Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ) a non-governmental organisation (NGO) was launched on 18 August 2017 in Melbourne Australia and registered with the Consumer Affairs Victoria on 22 August 2017.
Mr. Robert Pei a Melbourne lawyer and President of the organization said that the NGO will be based in Victoria. He said SSRANZ has been formed to promote awareness of the Sabah and Sarawak people’s human and civil rights in Malaysia in the Australia New Zealand region.
He said in 1963 the United Kingdom hastily transferred its sovereignty over the colonies of Sabah Sarawak and Singapore to the Federation of Malaya, then re-named “Malaysia” under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) an international treaty. The MA63 Treaty was null and void from the beginning as it was made in breach of a number of fundamental international laws including the legal principle that only sovereign (independent) states had the capacity to make treaties and in violation of the Manila Accord 1963 and United Nations’ Resolutions 1514 and 1541.
The UK never granted the 2 colonies and Singapore real independence nor were the people allowed to freely decide in a referendum on the Malaysia question when MA63 was signed on 9 July 1963. Even if MA63 had been validly made, Singapore’s exit from Malaysia in 1965 nullified MA63 by destroying the basis for Sabah and Sarawak's entry into "Malaysia" which was structured on 4 component States. But the 2 territories were prevented from leaving and since then the Sabah Sarawak people have increasingly seen their loss of rights and freedom nominally guaranteed by MA63. The campaign for these rights confirms that the Federal Government had acted in bad faith by treating MA63 as not binding and effectively repudiated the Treaty and as such it is no longer binding on Sabah and Sarawak.
Over 55 years “Malaysia formation” promises of development and prosperity of the 2 territories and many MA63 terms were never faithfully honoured as both their internal affairs and natural resources (especially oil and gas) came under direct Federal control. Ironically they have become the 2 poorest “States” in the Federation because their rich resources taken away through deprivation of State and people’s rights, were diverted to develop mainland Malayan states. They became colonial dependencies of Malaya. In those many years, the people’s voice has often been harshly silenced with imprisonment of critics with anti-human rights laws. Although the notorious Internal Security Act 1960 has been abolished along with the lifting of several “state of emergency declarations” from 1948, this has been replaced by even more stringent security laws.
Despite this, the situation has changed dramatically in recent times with the rise of Sabah Sarawak popular movements for State and human rights. This development has even compelled the Sarawak State government to belatedly press for the return of State rights taken away by the Federal government over the years. In line with such moves and the home movements for social justice and self-determination, SSRANZ will support the people’s quest to restore their rights and freedoms.
In conclusion, Mr. Pei said Sabah and Sarawak shared a similar history and culture and SSRANZ will work with all Sabah and Sarawak organisations and people who share the same aspirations and common future goal for self-determination. He said the motto of the new organisation is “The Future is our Goal”.
Robert Pei for SSRANZ Inc. 31 Aug 2017 - End of Statement
