The title of Head of State of Sarawak should be dignified and the Head of State should not be addressed as Tuan Yang Terutama (TYT) as it is presently.

The Head of State should be called Governor to maintain the dignity of this office. This is also because previously the Head of State of Sarawak was addressed as Governor during the British time and this was later on downgraded as TYT after the federation of Malaysia was formed.

The title "Governor of Sarawak* is a reflection that Sarawak was a sovereign country that helped formed Malaysia.

It is not morally and politically right to only upgrade the title of Chief Minister of Sarawak to Premier of Sarawak while leaving the title of Head of State unchanged.

It is opportune time to revert the title of Tuan Yang Terutama to Govenor of Sarawak come this 22 July State Celebration of Sarawak Day.

Sarawak government should not allow itself to be dictated by the federal government because we have the autonomy to do things that is in the best interest of Sarawak.

The Sarawak Government is herewith reminded that Malaysia is not a country but a federation as mentioned in the federal constitution and Sarawak was a country when Sarawak helped formed Malaysia. There was no intention to downgrade the status of Sarawak as a country when Sarawak intended to join formed Malaysia with the federation of Malaya along with Singapore and Sabah.

The Sarawak government should take note that when the federation of Malaysia was formed, Lee Kuan Yew did not relinquish or change or downgrade his title from Prime Minister to Chief Minister when Tunku Abdul Rahman insisted Lee Kuan Yew to drop the title of Prime Minister because Tunku said, a country cannot has two Prime Ministers.

This shows Lee Kuan Yew knew the right of Singapore in the federation of Malaysia.

Sarawak should emulate Singapore.

VOON LEE SHAN
President
Parti Bumi Kenyalang