KUCHING: The State Reform Party (STAR) Sarawak has praised Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for his determination to ensure the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is complied with.
According to STAR Sarawak president Lina Soo, MA63 is an international treaty between nations and as such compliance on the terms and conditions provided can only be between parties privy to the Agreement: the British government, the Federation of Malaya, the Sarawak government and the Sabah government.
She claimed as such there is no need for Sarawak ministers to negotiate with Putrajaya on the state’s rights.
“Nothing can be changed without all signatories going back to the negotiating table. Hence, there is no need for further discussion or further rounds of negotiation but necessitates merely the execution and implementation of MA63,” she opined.
In his winding-up speech in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, Abang Johari stressed that the federal government cannot amend MA63 on its own because it is an international treaty signed by Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and the United Kingdom (Singapore, the other signatory, opted out of Malaysia in 1965).
He said since MA63 has not been amended by all the signatory parties, the terms and conditions have not been changed.
He added Sarawakians are exerting their rights under MA63 because they want to safeguard their economic interests for the present and future generations of Sarawakians by reclaiming what ‘God has given Sarawak for its fair share of the Earth’.
Abang Johari also announced a new taskforce headed by the state’s three deputy chief ministers to negotiate with Putrajaya for greater autonomy based on the terms of MA63.