Zahid (second left), Abang Johari (left), Uggah (second right) and Jabu (right) performing the ‘ngiling tikai’ to mark the end of Gawai Dayak celebration. Also seen are Juma’ani (back fifth left), Doreen (back sixth left) and Abdul Karim (back fifth right). — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi believes that there is no issue that cannot be resolved between the federal and state governments when it comes to Sarawak’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Zahid, who is also Home Minister, reiterated Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s assurance made early this year on his readiness to talk and negotiate in coming up with a win-win situation for both the state and federal governments.
“I think the federal government, as stated by the Prime Minister that (in) matters that can be negotiated, will open the doors for negotiation when the information from a few documents is received from the research done by the taskforce,” he said in a press conference during his Gawai Dayak visit to Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas’ house here yesterday.
Among those there were Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and wife Datin Amar Dato Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang, Uggah’s wife Datin Amar Doreen Mayang, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Tourism, Arts, Culture Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.
Abang Johari had on last Saturday revealed that Sarawak would send a team of lawyers to London to search for and study any references related to the state’s rights. According to him, the team would be led by Assistant Minister of Law, Federal-State Relationships and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
A source had told The Borneo Post that State Legal Counsel Datuk JC Fong, State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Deputy Speaker Datuk Gerawat Gala and lawyers from the State Attorney General’s Chambers will form Sarawak’s legal team that would be heading to London to study the state’s rights under MA63.
In acknowledging that it is the right of Sarawak and Sabah to look at the legal aspect that ensured the MA63, Zahid said the federal government would receive all the feedback received from the Sarawak government through the efforts made with an open mind and heart.
Meanwhile, when asked on the points of reference that the legal team from Sarawak would be looking at, Abang Johari said: “I will tell you later.”
Najib had previously stated that he and Abang Johari were committed to correcting any anomaly in MA63 for Sarawak.