SRI AMAN: A historic peace treaty, cobbled together in the 1973 Sri Aman Declaration, which brought the communist insurgency to an end in Sarawak is expected to be available for public viewing soon.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg wants the original treaty document, signed between the state government and communists 50 years ago, to be put on display at the Rumah Sri Aman Gallery here.
He said he had requested the State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki as well as Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah to locate the original document of the peace treaty.
“We have to look for it because it is a very historical document that brought peace in Sarawak after the Pasukan Rakyat Kalimantan Utara (Paraku) surrendered, allowing us to enjoy peace to this day,” he said at the closing of the 20th edition of the Sri Aman Tidal Bore Festival at the Waterfront here on Sunday (Oct 1).
Abang Johari said that it is because of the state’s peace that leaders have been able to bring developments.
The peace treaty was signed by the then Chief Minister Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub and the Paraku leader Bong Kee Chok at the Sri Aman Rest House on Oct 21, 1973.
As a result of the peace treaty, Simanggang, the town’s original name, was changed to Sri Aman.
In October 2019, Abang Johari announced that Sri Aman Town is to revert to its original name – Simanggang, while the name of the division remains Sri Aman Division – based on the request of the people in the area.
In addition, today, the Sri Aman Rest House has been transformed into a museum known as the Rumah Sri Aman Gallery.
