PBB Supreme Council member takes Sarawak DAP chief to task for asking state government to not celebrate August 31.
PETALING JAYA: A PBB leader has slammed DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen as being petty and narrow-minded for having recently called for the Sarawak Government not to celebrate Merdeka Day on August 31.
PBB Supreme Council member Abdul Karim Hamzah told FMT that Chong, as a parliamentarian and lawyer, should know the history of Malaysia’s formation, and understand his role in uniting Malaysians.
He was responding to the Sarawak DAP chief’s statement that Sarawakian taxpayer money should not be wasted on celebrating August 31 in the state as the date had no historical significance compared with July 22, when Sarawak achieved self-governance.
Karim said there was no denying that many were confused with the various dates pertaining to the independence of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the formation of Malaysia.
However, rather than trying to cause a rift among Malaysians by asking the State Government to not celebrate August 31, Chong should be explaining the history of Malaysia’s formation.
Karim, who is the state assistant minister of housing said the nation’s founding fathers had agreed to August 31 being Independence Day.
