KUCHING: Senate President Tan Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar firmly believes the decision to form Malaysia, with the participation of Sarawak and Sabah, was the right one.
He said it was not just about security but also economic progress and overall well-being, making the case for Sarawak prospering as part of Malaysia.
In a recent interview with former minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Wan Junaidi pointed to a historical reference where a professor from the University of Sydney suggested that Sarawak should have been placed under the trustee system of the United Nations, similar to Jordan and Namibia.
However, he disagreed with this notion, emphasising that such a system would have led to Indonesia, as the nearest independent state, overseeing development in Sarawak.
He went on to compare the situation to other countries, stating, “Rhodesia is a very, very powerful, wealthy country. They can’t develop Namibia.
“Namibia is a very rich country with minerals like titanium, gold, diamonds, and everything else. All kinds. Watch the Hollywood movies with the actors.
“That’s true. That’s a rich country. But they can’t develop. The wealthy are the ones who oversee them.
“I don’t think Indonesia could develop Sarawak as fast as we are now doing with Malaysia.”
He then provided a vivid example of the development gap by comparing Pontianak and Kuching in the year 2000.
Pontianak, in Indonesia, he said, was significantly less developed than Kuching, and even the governor of Pontianak visited Kuching for leisure.
“I believe that at that time, the decision was not solely related to security and safety concerns.
“It’s essential to recognise that, beyond economic considerations, the decision to join Semenanjung in establishing Malaysia was the right choice,” he added.
