What’s there to negotiate, just implement MA63, says Jeffrey
(FMT) – Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Jeffrey Kitingan today said the federal government should start implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Sabah’s rights under the Federal Constitution.
Jeffrey described as “unacceptable” the statement by Chief Minister Shafie Apdal yesterday that the state government was still negotiating with the federal government to realise MA63.
“The Special Cabinet Committee (Steering Committee) to Review the Malaysia Agreement 1963 should focus on implementing what is in the Federal Constitution, including Articles 112c/112d.
“What is there to negotiate? MA63 was concluded and signed in 1963. After more than half a century, it has remained unimplemented and not complied with,” he told reporters.
Articles 112c/112d deal with special grants and assignments of revenue to the two states.
Jeffrey, who is also the Keningau MP and Tambunan assemblyman, said the federal government had two options — implement MA63 or dissolve it.
He said non-compliance by the federal government had made the agreement “illegal”, and called for a new agreement to ” better reflect the needs of the current situation and the expectations and aspirations of the people”.
“Fifty-five years of non-compliance is long enough for an unimplemented agreement to become null and void.
“Sabah and Sarawak have suffered long and hard enough by being treated like colonies, with our sovereignties being usurped by Kuala Lumpur and Malayan political parties.
“During that long period of time, we have also lost most of our revenues and our most-valued resources of oil and gas.
“If this situation remains, what will our future be?” he said.
Jeffrey also said the problem had been compounded by the selfishness of past leaders of Sabah and Sarawak.
Yesterday, Shafie said he was confident Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would take steps towards the realisation of MA63 but admitted that both sides were still locked in negotiation.
Previously, while still in the opposition, Warisan, which is led by Shafie, had called on the then-Barisan Nasional state government to do away with negotiations with the federal government and insisted that the federal government implement MA63 immediately.
Earlier today in Putrajaya, Mahathir held a meeting for almost two hours on the review of MA63 and said there was little disagreement between the federal government and the two governments.
He said several working papers were tabled at the Steering Committee meeting and almost all of them would be referred to the Technical Committee for an in-depth study before further discussion.
The meeting was attended by Shafie, Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg and several ministers.
