Flying colonial flag on Sarawak Day reflects one’s ignorance of history, says Abdul Karim

SIBU (July 18): Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has likened the flying of the Sarawak colonial flag here for the Sarawak Day celebration this July 22 as an act of ignorance about the state’s history.

The state Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts suggested that this group of individuals whom he viewed as ‘confused lots’ to get back into reading the history of Sarawak.

“It is not an offence to fly the old Sarawak crown flag but it only reflects the ignorance of some who probably might need to read back the history book,” he said.

“The old Sarawak crown flag was the flag (used) when Sarawak was still under the rule of the Brooke family and later a colony of Britain.

“Probably those who fly those flags still want to be subjects of the United Kingdom which I have my doubts that they would even be granted (British) citizenship.

“I look at them as confused lots,” Abdul Karim told The Borneo Post when asked to comment on the Sarawak crown flags being flown near some premises here, ahead of the Sarawak Day this Monday.