SIBU (Aug 30): University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) made history today by hosting the Statesman Lecture, Book Talk, and Book launching ceremony at its campus here. State Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah said the occasion was especially meaningful as UTS, through its publishing arm UTS Publisher, had been entrusted to publish the works of Sarawak Governor, who is also UTS chancellor, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. “The collaboration began when several UTS professors engaged in discussions with Tun on the importance of history, law, and governance in achieving organisational goals. “Those conversations sparked reflections on key moments in Malaysia’s history, which eventually inspired today’s lecture,” Sagah said. He added that during the exchange, Wan Junaidi also shared a manuscript chronicling his life journey. “Recognising its value, one professor proposed that UTS Publisher take up the project. “In April, Tun agreed, not just to one publication, but two – ‘Teriso’s Little Star’ and ‘Silence’,” he revealed. ‘Teriso’s Little Star’ portrays village life in Kampung Teriso during the 1940s, rooted in nature, faith, and tradition, while ‘Silence’ showcases a collection of Wan Junaidi’s poetic works alongside contributions from Yusuf Mustanir and Diana Ningkan. According to Sagah, both works reflect themes of resilience, unity, cultural heritage and humanity – values that deserve to be shared with the wider community. He stressed that the event underscored UTS’ role not only as a centre for higher learning but also as a platform for knowledge-sharing with people from all walks of life. “I believe that such engagements enrich its academic environment and contribute to the intellectual and cultural heritage of Sarawak,” he said. On a related note, Sagah announced that starting next year, UTS will offer 15 out of its 64 courses under the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme. “This aligns well with Tun’s deep interest in education. The opportunity to apply remains open because learning should continue throughout life,” he added.

KOTA SAMARAHAN (Sept 26): Sarawak must persist in pressing the federal government until all rights promised under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) are fully restored, said Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. He stressed that the struggle for MA63 remains ongoing, particularly on matters originally enshrined in the Federal Constitution but later amended without Sarawak’s consent. “We will have to continue to fight until we get everything we promised to us,” he said during a question-and-answer session following his Statesman Speech on MA63: The Key to Federal Harmony at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here today. Wan Junaidi was responding to a student’s question on the role of Sarawak’s youth in sustaining the legacy of MA63. Citing examples, he noted that powers over the environment and tourism once belonged to Sarawak but were reclaimed by the federal government through constitutional amendments. He also touched on judicial appointments, recalling that before 1985, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri had the power to appoint judicial commissioners in Sarawak and Sabah on the advice of the Chief Minister. “In 1985 they amended the constitution to centralise it. But in 2021, the government agreed and implemented through an administrative arrangement that appointments must have the consent of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri. “The Cabinet would recommend certain names, and the Yang di-Pertua Negeri would agree based on the constitution,” he said. However, Wan Junaidi cautioned that administrative arrangements alone were insufficient safeguards. “If tomorrow they appoint a judicial commissioner in Kuching without going through the agreed process, and the Prime Minister says to the Chief Justice, ‘can you just appoint this one’ and the commission endorses it, there is nothing wrong legally for that, because the thing is only done administratively,” he explained. He insisted that constitutional amendments were necessary to ensure Sarawak’s rights could not be overridden. “That’s why I insist it must be back to the way it was before 1985, by amending the constitution, so that nobody can override. “Because everybody, when appointed by the government, promises to protect the constitution,” he said. Wan Junaidi further pointed out that several constitutional amendments had been made without Sarawak’s consent over the years, citing examples from 1974 and 1994. “Many times they ignored the constitution. “If you are talking about sustainability, whatever it means, to me, we will have to continue to fight until we get everything we promised to us,” he said.

KUCHING: Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Dr  Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar telah berangkat menghadiri Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja (MRR) Ke-270 yang berlangsung di Balai Mesyuarat, Istana Negara. Keberangkatan beliau diiringi Timbalan Premier Sarawak Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, mewakili Premier Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Tun Openg. Majlis Raja-Raja merupakan wadah penting yang berfungsi memberi nasihat dan pandangan kepada kerajaan mengenai dasar-dasar negara, terutama dalam hal-hal yang menyentuh kepentingan negara dan kesejahteraan rakyat.

WHEN the Federal Constitution was amended in February 2022 to finally acknowledge the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Tun Pehin Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar knew he had achieved something that generations before him had fought for. As the Law Minister at the time, he became the architect who secured Sarawak and Sabah’s rightful place within Malaysia’s legal framework. “It took 58 years, but finally, on February 11, 2022, MA63 was recognised in the Constitution. “For the first time, Sarawak and Sabah’s rights had a constitutional footing,” he recalled. In an exclusive interview with Sarawak Tribune, Wan Junaidi said that this was not just a legal triumph, but it was the culmination of a lifetime of struggle. To him, the story of Malaysia’s formation, neglect, and eventual revival can only be understood by confronting how MA63 had long been “left in the shadows”. Forgotten in the Constitution Wan Junaidi has often reminded audiences that history is built on treaties. “History was written through treaties and agreements. The Pangkor Agreement of 1874, the Straits Settlements Agreement, the 1948 Federation Agreement, and the 1957 Merdeka Agreement were all acknowledged in our Constitution. “But MA63, despite being the cornerstone of our federation, was not recognised. It was left in the shadows,” he explained. That omission would haunt Sarawak and Sabah for decades. Their rights, promised at the time of Malaysia’s formation, were steadily eroded by federal laws that ignored the spirit of 1963. For Wan Junaidi, understanding how this neglect happened meant tracing the origins of MA63 itself. Britain’s urgent exit and the push for Malaysia The roots of MA63 lay not in Malaya’s vision but in Britain’s haste to decolonise after World War II. Malaya at the time was a patchwork of arrangements: the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated States, and the Straits Settlements. Britain’s first attempt to centralise them, the Malayan Union of 1946, collapsed under Malay resistance. It was replaced by the Federation of Malaya in 1948, which restored the rulers’ powers and paved the way for independence in 1957. At that point, Tunku Abdul Rahman was content with a compact federation of eleven states. “Tunku Abdul Rahman never dreamt of Malaysia until the British persuaded him, because Britain wanted a safe exit from its colonies,” Wan Junaidi said. The Cold War sharpened British anxieties. Singapore was volatile under Lee Kuan Yew, with communist influence on the rise. “The British told Tunku: if you don’t take Singapore, you will have a Cuba at your doorstep. “At first, Tunku was reluctant, but later he realised that Singapore alone would destabilise the Malay majority. “That is why Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei had to be included, to balance the numbers,” he added. Testing public opinion: The Cobbold Commission The Malaysia proposal triggered a series of steps. Tunku’s 1961 luncheon speech signalled his interest, followed by the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee in 1962, and then the Cobbold Commission to gauge public sentiment in Sarawak and North Borneo. The findings were far from unanimous. The Malay community largely supported Malaysia, seeing it as the path to independence. Many Dayaks were hesitant, preferring continued British rule until they were better prepared. The Chinese were divided: the elite groups leaned towards Malaysia, while the leftist and communist elements opposed it. “It was the Kapit Resolution of 1962, led by Temenggong Jugah, that swayed the Dayaks to support Malaysia. “Without that resolution, Malaysia might never have materialised,” he said. The Inter-Governmental Committee and safeguards To formalise the terms, the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) was set up under Lord Lansdowne (UK) and Tun Abdul Razak (Malaya), with Sarawak, North Borneo, and Singapore at the table. Brunei observed but later withdrew. Five sub-committees: constitutional, fiscal, legal and judicial, public service, and departmental organisation, produced the framework for Malaysia. Out of this came the draft Malaysia Agreement, the UK and Malaya Malaysia Acts, state constitutions for Sarawak, Sabah, and Singapore, and, critically, immigration safeguards granting Sarawak and Sabah control over entry. Wan Junaidi explained why this process was flawed. “The IGC did not create a new constitution for Malaysia. Instead, it amended the Federal Constitution of Malaya in 1957, but in doing so, it flawed the process by effectively placing Malaysia within the framework of a constitution drafted for Malaya in 1957, when the federation of Malaysia did not yet exist,” he said. That decision, he added, was critical because earlier agreements were entrenched in the 1957 Constitution, while the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) was not. “This omission left Sarawak and Sabah exposed to decades of neglect and dereliction, as the safeguards promised under MA63 were never constitutionally entrenched. “This historical misstep has had lasting consequences for both states, which have spent decades seeking to reclaim rights that were supposed to have been protected from the start,” Wan Junaidi stressed. Signing Malaysia into existence On July 9, 1963, the MA63 was signed in London by Britain, Malaya, Sarawak, North Borneo, and Singapore. Brunei opted out after its 1962 rebellion. Malaysia was scheduled for August 31, 1963, but objections from Indonesia and the Philippines delayed it. The UN, under U Thant, was tasked to confirm public support. “It was only after the Manila Summit and the UN’s endorsement that Malaysia Day was shifted to 16 September 1963,” Wan Junaidi recalled. Finally, at midnight on September 15, 1963, the Queen of Great Britain relinquished sovereignty and jurisdiction. Then, at dawn the next day, Malaysia was born. Misconceptions of Independence One of the enduring myths is that Sarawak achieved independence on July 22, 1963. Wan Junaidi has consistently corrected this. “We must be clear. Sarawak never achieved independence on July 22. That was only self-government. “Independence came when the Queen finally relinquished sovereignty and jurisdiction on 16 September 1963,” he explained. For him, clarity on this point is vital because misinterpretations of history have too often been used to dilute Sarawak’s actual legal standing within Malaysia. The erosion of rights Though MA63 promised safeguards, the lack of constitutional entrenchment left Sarawak and Sabah’s rights vulnerable. Over time, federal laws steadily eroded one after another of those guaranteed rights The Petroleum Development Act 1974 and Emergency laws centralised control of oil and gas under PETRONAS. The Territorial Sea Act 2012 narrowed maritime rights. Encroachments spread into education, healthcare, and governance. “Because MA63 was not entrenched in the Constitution, Parliament after Parliament passed laws that undermined Sarawak’s rights. “Oil, gas, and even our territorial waters were taken away,” Wan Junaidi lamented. Decades of silence, then a revival For much of the late 20th century, MA63 was politically dormant. Successive Prime Ministers paid lip service, while rural Sarawak remained underdeveloped. The revival began with the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem in 2016, who boldly raised MA63 with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. After GE14 in 2018, Pakatan Harapan promised reforms but focused narrowly on restoring Article 1(2) to its original 1963 wording. The real breakthrough, however, came when Wan Junaidi assumed the role of Law Minister in 2021. He spearheaded constitutional amendments that, for the first time, inserted explicit recognition of MA63 and related documents into the Federal Constitution. “It was not easy, but we could not allow another decade to pass without securing Sarawak and Sabah’s position. “Recognition in the Constitution was the minimum we owed to the spirit of 1963,” he added. Wan Junaidi’s caution for the future Today, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has made reclaiming MA63 rights a central focus of his administration, particularly in terms of energy and revenue autonomy. Wan Junaidi supports these efforts but offers a note of realism about rights which are spelt out within the intergovernmental report, which have not been put into reality based on the MA63. “We must be realistic. Referendums like Scotland’s cannot happen here because our Constitution does not provide for them. “The only way forward is through law, negotiation, and constitutional amendment,” he cautioned. For him, the struggle is ongoing. Constitutional recognition was a breakthrough, but the implementation of rights, especially in resources, revenue, and governance, remains unfinished business. The Spirit of 1963 While reflecting on his struggles, Wan Junaidi insists the goal has never been secession but fairness. “Our struggle is not to undo Malaysia, but to make Malaysia fair to Sarawak and Sabah. “That was the spirit of 1963, and that must be the spirit today,” he said. MA63, he reminds Malaysians, encompasses key documents such as the IGC Report and the Malaysia Act 1963, which together laid the foundation of the federation. “The MA63 itself is only three pages long with 11 clauses, yet its long neglect weakened that foundation, while its formal recognition helped to strengthen and restore it,” he said. For Wan Junaidi, the struggle has been personal, political, and historical. Yet, it is also unfinished, a story still being written, with Sarawak and Sabah’s place in Malaysia continuing to evolve.

KUCHING: Seramai 231 lagi individu menerima Darjah-Darjah Kebesaran Negeri Sarawak daripada Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar dalam satu majlis yang berlangsung di Dewan Santapan, Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak di sini hari ini. Menurut Unit Komunikasi Awam Sarawak (UKAS), istiadat yang bermula sekitar jam 11 pagi itu diadakan sebagai tanda penghargaan kepada sumbangan besar para penerima dalam pelbagai bidang termasuk pentadbiran awam, pendidikan, keselamatan, industri dan khidmat masyarakat. Majlis dimulakan dengan penyampaian Darjah Utama Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak Pegawai Bintang Kenyalang (P.B.K) kepada Hasbilah Mohamad Salleh, Austin James Nieet diikuti 21 penerima yang lain. Manakala, Tahir Mohd Sharee, Yalin Asan, Abang Iskandar Bolhassan Abang Mihamad Ariif serta 28 penerima lain dianugerahkan Pingat Pentadbiran Awam Pingat Perkhidmatan Bakti (P.P.B). Mejar Kaha Othman, Abdul Rahman Ahmad, Awang Hairil bersama 31 penerima lain pula dianugerahkan Pingat Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak Ahli Bintang Sarawak (A.B.S). Turut diraikan ialah 62 individu bagi Pingat Pentadbiran Awam Pingat Perkhidmatan Terpuji (P.P.T) termasuk Abang Abdul Rahman Salihin, Baharin@ Arin Saili dan Billy Bibi Ragan. Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Sarawak Bentara Bintang Sarawak (B.B.S) pula dianugerahkan kepada 61 penerima termasuk Abang Dzulhanif Abang Sukarno, Abdur Majid Mohamad Yoosof, Abdul Rahman Lsman, Abdul Wahab Venchu Mohamed Yoosoof, Abu Bakar Wahi serta individu lain. Hadir sama pada majlis itu ialah Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Timbalan Menteri Perancangan Bandar, Pentadbiran Tanah dan Alam Sekitar Sarawak Datuk Len Talif Salleh, Timbalan Menteri Pembangunan Wanita dan Kanak-Kanak Datuk Rosey Yunus serta ketua-ketua Jabatan.