Goh (standing in the middle) and Joanne (5th left) posing with members of the FCAS delegations at the National Day celebrations held at Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu, yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government’s recognition of the Sabah Day and making it an annual celebration starting this year is a right move which better tell Sabah’s history and its significance, said the Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) President Tan Sri T C Goh.
He believed it would also instill pride in the people of Sabah.
“For the State Government, both the National Day and the Sabah Day are equally important. But, for many Sabahans, ‘Sabah Day’ and the forthcoming ‘Malaysia Day’ are obviously more meaningful than the National Day!” he said in welcoming and supporting the State Government’s recognition of the Sabah Day and the hosting of its inaugural celebration yesterday, concurrently with the National Day celebration.
Goh, who is also President of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) said this while leading the FCAS delegation to participate in the parade held in conjunction with the National Day celebration at the Padang Merdeka here yesterday. He was accompanied by his spouse Puan Sri Joanne Ho. Also in attendance were the three Vice Presidents of FCAS, Kapitan Lim Vun Chan, Ng Young Wah and David Chan, its Treasurer-General Chen Ea Sheng, and its Youth Chief Chang Jeng Yung, among others.
Goh opined that although the two major celebrations of the National Day and the Sabah Day were celebrated on the same day, but separately, it did not affect their significance.
He also welcomed and supported the State Government’s choosing of Tambunan as the venue for the inaugural celebrations of the Sabah Day and to celebrate it annually with the venue to be rotated among the districts. He said such a move would better allow the people of Sabah to participate in its celebrations.
He acknowledged that in the past, the Sabah Day was only celebrated by some Sabah-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs). However, with persistent lobbying by some Sabah-based political parties, the Sabah State Cabinet under the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor’s leadership, finally decided that the celebrations to mark Sabah’s important historical milestone, be celebrated annually with the venue to be rotated among the districts.
He reminded that according to the history of the nation, Malaya (Peninsula Malaysia) gained its independence from the British on 31 August, 1957, while Sabah succeeded in gaining self-rule from the British empire on 31 August, 1963, before joining Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form the Federation of Malaysia, 16 days later, on 16 September, 1963. Sarawak gained self-rule from the British on 22 July, 1963. Singapore later left the Federation on 9 August, 1965 to form an independent state.
“Hence, the Sabah Government’s decision to officially commemorate the day Sabah became independent from British rule 60 years ago, on 31 August, starting this year, is indeed very significant and meaningful for the people of Sabah!” he said.
