KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Any party or person with the view that a new agreement should be drawn up to replace the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) has a distorted view of the country’s national struggle, said Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili.
Replying to a query from Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman (Warisan-Sepanggar), the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) said that the government is committed to fully implementing the conditions set in MA63, as the document was sacred and laid the foundation of the formation of Malaysia.
“Such views are very misleading, far from our goals and are not in line with the Constitution we have approved in this House, of which MA63 is now part of the Federal Constitution.
“MA63 is very important because it is the platform to discuss the issues that can bring benefits to Sabah and Sarawak.
“We must focus on matters that we already agreed upon when Malaysia was formed, and whether the rights in MA63 that have not been fully implemented will be administered,” he said.
Earlier this month, Barisan Nasional deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan proposed at the Sabah BN Convention that a new Malaysia Agreement be drawn up.
A supporter of a new agreement was Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan (STAR-Keningau), who admitted that he wanted MA63 to be replaced as he was of the view that the agreement was not respected and implemented.
“So what’s the point if there’s an agreement if it’s not implemented, and it’s not respected. That’s why I suggested it at the time.
“But now the government has taken steps to implement and respect the content of MA63. So, what I suggested at the time is no longer relevant,” he said in Parliament.
