KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has urged the people of Sabah to gather in the Tambunan district, located about 100km from here, to celebrate the inaugural Sabah Day on August 31. This event will mark the state’s independence from British rule. Kitingan, who is the Deputy Chief Minister I, expressed his appreciation to the state government for supporting the official commemoration of this occasion, and invited all the people of Sabah to participate in the celebration at the Pisompuruan Square in their traditional attire.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced last week that the state Cabinet had decided to hold an annual celebration to mark Sabah’s independence, with the venue rotating among different districts. The inaugural celebration will begin at 3pm in Tambunan, a significant historical location for Sabah.
Kitingan assured that Sabah Day would be gazetted by the state to formalize the holiday, although it has been observed for the past 60 years. He emphasized the importance of honoring August 31, 1963, the day marking the end of British colonial rule in Sabah and symbolizing the unity of the people of Sabah in establishing self-rule.
Local parties, such as Sabah STAR and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), have long campaigned for the recognition of Sabah Day. Both parties are now part of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government and believe that gazetting August 31 as Sabah Day is crucial in restoring Sabah’s rights based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Credit: The Star : News Feed
