PUTRAJAYA, Nov 26 — The Unity Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is PKR president, is open to discussing and is consistent in fighting for the agenda in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

A delegate from Sabah, Antakor Rasam, during the debate session at the PKR Annual National Congress 2023, said that PKR is the only party that places importance on the rights of the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak in the party constitution.

According to him, this proves that PKR is a political party that truly has a Malaysian spirit in line with the spirit of the formation of a nation following the merger of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.

“All this while MA63 seems to be kept a secret. When Anwar was appointed Prime Minister (10th), he appointed a deputy prime minister from Borneo (Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof).

“Anwar also immediately formed the Technical Committee on MA63 and it even became history when Parliament approved the amendment of the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board (IRB) Act to allow representatives of the governments of Sabah and Sarawak to be appointed as Members of the IRB,” he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrives at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) for the PKR National Congress, November 26, 2023. — Picture by Hari Anggara
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrives at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) for the PKR National Congress, November 26, 2023. — Picture by Hari Anggara

The two-day PKR National Congress, which started yesterday, is being held at the Putrajaya International Convention Center (PICC) here.

According to Clause 5, Article 5.8 of the PKR Constitution, the party upholds the spirit of cooperation and fair sharing of power between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia by empowering a fair political and economic position in accordance with the framework of MA63.

Meanwhile, on Malaysia’s competitiveness in the digital economy, a representative from Melaka, Datuk Ginie Lim said the government needs to reduce the digital gap between the urban and rural areas, the peninsula with Sabah and Sarawak to enhance the digital economy, such as boosting start-ups and increase the number of Digital Economy Centres (PEDi).

“There are still 140 state constituencies (DUN) that do not have PEDi and the government needs to ensure that every DUN has a PEDi to help entrepreneurs carry out online businesses and, hence, generate their income by two to five folds,” she added. — Bernama