1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis
| 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis | |||
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| Date | 1965-1966 | ||
| Location | Sarawak, Malaysia | ||
| Causes | Dissatisfaction towards Stephen Kalong Ningkan leadership | ||
| Goals | Removal of Stephen Kalong Ningkan from the chief minister post | ||
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The 1966 Sarawak constitutional crisis took place in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia from 1965 to 1966. This crisis was started by a group of politicians who were dissatisfied towards Stephen Kalong Ningkan's leadership as chief minister. Ningkan was later removed from the chief minister post by the Governor of Sarawak in June 1966. However, Ningkan was reinstated by the High Court in early September 1966. He was ousted from the chief minister office for the final time at the end of September 1966 and was replaced by Tawi Sli as the new chief minister. It was widely believed that the ouster of Ningkan was a result of interference by the Malaysian federal government due to him being a strong advocate of greater state autonomy.
On 22 July 1963, Stephen Kalong Ningkan was appointed as the first chief minister of Sarawak following his landslide winnings of the 1963 local council elections. In 1965, Ningkan tried to initiate a land reform law that would allow the natives to acquire full title to Native Customary land. Therefore, the natives would be able to sell their land to anyone including the Chinese. Such a law would also allow the natives to acquire large tracts of forest land. Ningkan's action angered the leaders in Barisan Rakyat Jati Sarawak (BARJASA) party. Subsequently, Sarawak Native Alliance consisting of Parti Negara Sarawak (PANAS), BARJASA party, and Parti Pesaka Sarawak (PESAKA) was formed in order to challenge Ningkan's leadership. On 13 June 1966, Ningkan sacked Abdul Taib Mahmud (a BARJASA leader) from the post of Minister of Communication and Works.
On 16 June 1966, 21 out of 42 members of the state legislature declared that they did not have confidence in Stephen Kalong Ningkan. The 21 assemblymen wrote a petition to the Governor of Sarawak stating that they have lost confidence in the chief minister. The prime minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman also advocated the petition and asked Ningkan to resign.
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