DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang urged Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament and Pakatan Rakyat Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia to support the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to assess whether the aspirations of East Malaysians have been fulfilled or betrayed since the birth of Malaysia in 1963.

The Keningau Oath Stone Awareness Campaign was launched on 31 August to give awareness on the rights and expectations of the people of Sabah and Sarawak that had, with Peninsular Malaysia formed Malaysia 51 years ago.

The monument was erected on August 31 1964  to commemorate the terms in which Sabah, joined Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia to form Malaysia. The 3 terms carved on the historical stone includes the promise of freedom of religion in Sabah, that the Government of Sabah hold authority over land in the state, and thirdly, that the native customs and traditions of Sabahans be respected and upheld by the government. This is in exchange for the loyalty and allegiance of Sabahans to Malaysia.

Quoting from famous Czech writer Milan Kundera, Lim Kit Siang said that “the struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting”;  this was reason for the Oath Stone Awareness campaign, he said.

“The Batu Sumpah Keningau campaign will be to restore both history and memory to the people of Sabah,” reminding that school history books are void of 3 things which are the 20-Points and Batu Sumpah Keningau; and the ‘666’ plane crash tragedy of 1976 which killed 6 Sabah leaders.  

Those killed in the crash were Chief Minister of Sabah Mohd Fuad Stephens, State Ministers Salleh Sulong, Peter Mojuntin,  Chong Tahin Vun, assistant minister Darius Binion, and Director of Economic Planning Unit of Sabah Dr. Syed Hussein Wafa, 

The third, Lim said was the unlawful granting of citizenship to illegal immigrants through scams like ‘Project Mahathir’.

He also criticised the Najib led government for taking a long time to reveal the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Illegal Immigrants in Sabah.

“Is there any reason why the Report of the RCI cannot be made public before Malaysia Day on Sept. 16?” Lim asked as he announced a signature drive for the immediate publication of the RCI led by DAP Sabah State Secretary Edwin Bosi.  -The Rocket