Wong (top row, centre) with others singing the state anthem at the Sarawak Day event in Sibu.
SARAWAK’S youth should take pride in the state’s heritage as well as understand and safeguard rights enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
This call was made by Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) senior vice-president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh during the Sarawak Day celebration organised by its Bawang Assan branch.
Wong said the rights of the state and its people must be preserved to ensure that Sarawak’s development was guided by its own priorities.
He said this would also allow the state government to maintain control over the management of its revenue.
“We are not an ordinary state within Malaysia.
“We are one of the founding partners, as outlined in MA63.
“This grants us the authority to chart our own development path and ensure that state revenue is utilised for the good of our people,” he said.
He stated that Sarawak’s empowerment as a strong and autonomous entity within Malaysia can only be realised if its people understood their history and were willing to defend their rights.
He also paid tribute to the former chief minister, the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem, acknowledging his pivotal role in reigniting Sarawak’s sense of identity.
Wong said this spirit has been carried forward by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, who continues to bolster the state’s standing through strategic development policies and planning.
“Our Premier has continued Adenan’s legacy anchored by MA63, strengthening the economy and asserting our legal rights.”
Wong, who is also Bawang Assan assemblyman, stressed that Sarawak’s unity in diversity forms a vital foundation in the ongoing struggle to uphold the state’s rights.
“Sarawak Day is not merely a public holiday.
“It is a day to reflect on our history and evaluate the roles each of us plays in continuing that legacy.”
The event also featured the presentation of appointment certificates to 12 community leaders from the Batang Igan area.
