Sarawakian Activist Make This Forthcoming Sept 16 Malaysia Day As Malaysia S True National Day

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AFTER having described “Aug 31 as “Malaya’s Independence Day”, hence the recent Merdeka Day celebration is irrelevant to Borneo states, prominent Sarawak rights activist Peter John Jaban now wants Putrajaya to recognise Malaysia Day which falls on Sept 16 as the country’s “true National Day”.


For over 68 years, the community group Saya Anak Sarawak founder claimed that Malaysians – especially Sarawakians and Sabahans – have been misled into believing that Aug 31 is Hari Kebangsaan (National Day).
“In reality, this date only marks Malaya’s (Peninsular Malaysia) independence from British rule in 1957,” argued the Sarawakians for Sarawak founder in the aftermath of his participation in the Sabah Day parade organised by the indigenous community to celebrate Sabah’s unique history and struggle for recognition on Aug 31.

“Malaysia as a nation didn’t even exist then. The true birth of Malaysia came on Sept 16, 1963 when Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore united as equal partners to form a new federation (but Singapore exited on Aug 9, 1965).”
The Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity (MAJU) co-founder further contended that the current message flow “confuses the public and erases the true history of Sabah and Sarawak’s role in the formation of Malaysia”.
“This false statement frequently appears on big billboards posters, banners, social media and is even repeated on radio, television and mainstream media,” observed Jaban who is of Dayak Iban heritage.
Peter John Jaban at the Sabah Day parade held in conjunction with the Merdeka Day on Aug 31, 2025“To continue calling Aug 31 Malaysia’s National Day is to re-write history and erase Sabah and Sarawak’s place in the nation’s story. This narrative marginalises East Malaysia, undermines the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and promotes a Peninsular-centric view of our shared identity.”
Ultimate solution
To resolve the polemic, Jaban call on the federal government to:
Recognise Sept 16 as the true National Day of Malaysia;Retain Aug 31 August as Hari Merdekak.a. Malaya’s Independence Day;Stop misleading campaigns claiming 68 years of Malaysia’s independence; andRespect Sabah and Sarawak as equal founding partners, not just “states” of Malaysia.On this note, the deputy president of NGO Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF) urged Sabahans “to stop calling Aug 31 Hari Kebangsaan”.
“Call it what it truly is – Malaya’s Independence Day or Hari Sabah – to celebrate your own history,” insisted Jaban.
“Let Malaysia Day on Sept 16 stand as the day we unite as a federation built on equality, respect and truth.” –  FocusMalaysia

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