1.
MS DATO STEPHENS STEPS DOWN PLANE AND IS GREETED BY DATO STEPHEN KALONG NINGKHAN
0.03

2.
MCS A NATIVE GIRL GARLANDS DATO STEPHENS
0.08

3.
CS WELCOME BANNER
0.09

4.
MS DATO STEPHENS SHAKES HANDS WITH MEMBERS OF THE SARAWAK NATION PARTY
0.14

5.
MCS DATO STEPHEN OFFERED TRADITIONAL RICE WINE
0.19

6.
MCS NINGKHAN (LEFT) AND STEPHEN
0.20

7.
MLS RECEPTION PARTY
0.24

8.
MS NINGKHAN OPENS CEREMONY BY CUTTING RIBBON
0.32

9.
MCS CROWD
0.35

10.
MCS NINGKHAN SPEAKS (TWO SHOTS)
0.40

11.
MS CROWD
0.41

12.
MCS DATO DONALD STEPHENS ADDRESSES THE PEOPLE
0.48

13.
MCS RESIDENCE OF KALONG NINGKHAN
0.49

14.
MS DATO STEPHENS (LEFT) AND NINGKHAN
0.51

15.
MCS DATO DONALD STEPHENS (TWO SHOTS)
1.02

16.
MS MEETING IN SESSION
1.05



Initials BJ/VS/CA/YA/CHM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE FORMER CHIEF MINISTER OF SABAH DATO DONALD STEPHENS ARRIVED IN SARAWAK, ANOTHER MALAYSIAN STATE IN BORNEO TO AN ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME BY THE NATIVES AND DATO STEPHEN KALONG NINGKHAN, THE LEADER OF A MALAYSIAN OPPOSITION PARTY IN SARAWAK.

SINCE SABAH AND SARAWAK JOINED THE MALAYSIAN FEDERATION IN 1963 THERE HAS BEEN CONSTANT BICKERING AMONG THE MANY OPPOSITION PARTIES, BOTH GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION, OVER THE ROLE OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE TWO STATES.

THE UNITED PASOKMOMOGUN KADAZAN ORGANISATION (UPKO) LEAD BY DATO DONALD STEPHENS BROKE AWAY FROM THE RULING ALLIANCE PARTY OVER DIFFERENCES WITH THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND WENT INTO THE OPPOSITION.

THE UPKO AND THE SNAP (SARAWAK NATIONAL PARTY) LEAD BY THE FORMER CHIEF MINISTER OF SARAWAK DATO STEPHENS KALONG NINGKHAN ALSO WENT INTO OPPOSITION AFTER A QUARREL WITH THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. THE TWO PARTIES HAVE NOW JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM AN EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION AGAINST THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN KUALA LUMPUR.

BOTH THE MEN ARE FORMER CHIEF MINISTERS OF THEIR STATES, WITH VERY WIDE INFLUENCE AMONG NON-MALAY NATIVE COMMUNITIES -- THE KADAZANS IN SABAH, AND THE DYAKS IN SARAWAK.

THE LEADERS AFTER THE MEETING EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE STOCK ON MALAYSIA'S FOURTH ANNIVERSARY (AUGUST 31) TO COURAGEOUSLY ADMIT MISTAKES MADE AND RENEW REPORT TO BRING ABOUT A NEW SPIRIT IN MALAYSIA.

A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE LEADERS OF THE TWO PARTIES AFTER A TWO DAY MEETING SAID THE NEW SPIRIT SHOULD CONSIST OF GENUINE FREEDOM WHERE THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WOULD AGREE TO MAKE WHATEVER CHANGES NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN MALAYSIA.

THE COMMUNIQUE SAID BOTH PARTIES DEPLORED THE FACT THAT NEWSPAPERS ON THE MAINLAND MALAYA HAD BEEN UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE A ONE-SIDED PICTURE OF EVENTS IN SABAH AND SARAWAK.