KOTA KINABALU: Sabah government will propose to the Education Ministry to include the state's independence from the British on Aug 31, 1963 in history textbooks, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
“Sabah Day marks the liberation or independence of Sabah from British colonialism and had never been celebrated for 60 years,” he told reporters at the first Sabah Day celebrations press conference on Monday (Aug 26)
He added that the Sabah government officially proclaimed Sabah Day through a gazette on June 5.
"Reviving this lost history is very important because it is when we demand equal rights with Sarawak and Malaya (Peninsula)," said Kitingan, who is the chairman of the Sabah Day 2024 organising committee.
He said the first official celebration of Sabah Day or Hari Sabah will be held at Padang Merdeka from 6pm on Aug 31, for the first time this year.
Various events, including exhibitions related to the history of Sabah Day, were planned in conjunction with the celebrations.
Sabah will mark the National Day celebrations with a parade on the morning of Aug 31.
