KOTA KINABALU – The process to gazette Sabah Day in observance of Sabah’s independence in 1963 remains a “work in progress”, although it has been two years since it was mooted.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, who made the Sabah Day proposal in 2021, said an explanatory booklet needs to be presented to the federal government before the state can gazette Sabah Day.
“Although the gazettement of Sabah Day will be done by the state, the previous chief minister informed that it still needs to go to the Home Affairs Ministry before it can be done.
“The minister (at the time) had no problem with this, but an explanatory book still needs to be prepared to inform what Sabah Day is.
“Hopefully, we can settle this quickly and get to gazetting Sabah Day as soon as possible,” said Kitingan, while pointing out neighbouring state Sarawak had already gazetted Sarawak Day in 2016.
Kitingan said Sabah Day is the day Sabah attained independence from British rule on August 31, 1963.
August 31 marked the establishment of a de facto self-government in Sabah in 1963, but this lasted for 16 days prior to Sabah joining the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.
Sabah Progressive Party had also previously demanded the state gazette Sabah Day as a public holiday.
The call started in 2018.
August 31 is a national holiday in observance of Merdeka Day on August 31, 1957, while Sarawak marks Sarawak Day on July 22.
Kitingan maintained that Sabah Day would still be held again this year despite not being gazetted yet. – The Vibes, June 6, 2023
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