22 July 1963.

Prologue: Uncertainties. Meanwhile, mundane posts about daily life of a procrastinating, demotivated and deranged postgrad will resume after this transmission. 

Dum Spiro Spero. While I breathe, I hope. Haraplah Selagi Bernafas. Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban.

On 22 July 1963, Stephen Kalong Ningkan, the very first Chief Minister of Sarawak and his cabinet as well as Council Negri of Sarawak was sworn in thus marking for the first time in history (especially after the Cession to Great Britain in July 1946, 17 years before) that the local populace of Sarawak has meaningful representation in a lawmaking body through election (albeit still indirectly as Members of Council Negri then was selected indirectly by district councilors who were voted in the local government election in June 1963) and thus marking an important milestone of achieving self-rule instead of answering to the Colonial Office in London.

Of course, whether the date 22 July 1963 can be regarded as independence day remains debatable. Most mainstream establishment historian regarded that period of time as a mere transition period between Crown Colony of Sarawak and State of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is true that the negotiation and discussion about formation of Malaysia has been well underway since 1962 and it is true that self-rule and self-determination of local populace is made prerequisite as part of decolonization process by United Nation to all post-war colonial power including Great Britain. Therefore, the date of 22 July 1963 does have a particular poignancy to it, driven by post-war decolonization and cold war narrative leading towards the ratification of Malaysia Agreement by Council Negri and subsequent accession of Sarawak along with Sabah, Singapore and Malaya to form Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963 (or 31 August 1963 had Indonesia and The Philippines didn't meddled.) and everything else is history making what we and Sarawak are today, 49 years later.

Nevertheless, 22 July 1963 is indeed an exciting for Sarawakian as a whole as for the first time in history, the local populace (through their representatives in Council Negri) exercised meaningful right in determining their nation's own future hence deserved to be commemorated. 49 years ago, our representatives in Council Negri were convinced that idea of Malaysia would work and perhaps at that point of time indeed that formation of Malaysia is the best idea among other choices, consented by Great Britain and United Nation and we made our choice. Perhaps and hopefully next time some time ahead in the future, near or far, that Sarawakians will have another opportunity again to determine the future and destiny of their own nation, this time as a truly sovereign, independent nation of its own.

Dum Spiro Spero.

Happy Self-Rule/Independence Day. Happy Sarawak Day. Snazzy poster by MAI and grabbed from Facebook of fellow Sarawak enthusiasts/sovereigntists.

Epilogue: Ennui. Meanwhile, this history lesson is brought to you by the procrastination, demotivated and deranged postgrad. Thank you for reading.