Sharifah Hasidah (standing, right) serves as one of the panellists of the forum on MA63. On stage with her are (from left) Abdullah, Leonard and Nancy.
A forum participant poses a question to one of the panellists.
KUALA LUMPUR: The efforts involved in returning Sarawak’s rights as enshrined under Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) should be viewed as ‘negotiations’ instead of ‘demands’.
In assuring Sarawakians that the Sarawak government would continue to pursue this goal, Batang Sadong MP Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said Sarawak does not use the word ‘demand’ in relation to returning Sarawak’s rights as stated in MA63.
“Don’t use the word ‘demand’, but (use the word) negotiation. To negotiate, it may take time because we cannot fix things just like that.
“There is a lot (of things) to be gathered and negotiated upon,” the parliamentarian spoke during the question-answer session at a forum on ‘Federalism: Federal Constitution and MA63’ at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) here yesterday.
The session was a part of the ‘Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak 2018’ programme, slated for Sarawakians studying or working in Peninsular Malaysia.
Adding on, Nancy said even with Pakatan Harapan (PH) running the federal government now, Sarawak is still pursuing to regain its rights under MA63.
“What is the way forward? They (PH-led federal government) would refer to the formula prepared by PH Sarawak, which is not the state (Sarawak) government; thus they do not have the locus standi or the authority. They (PH) said they would establish a high-powered committee to discuss Sarawak’s claims.
“We’re told that the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) has been absorbed into this special committee; we would not be happy if only the Chief Minister is included to represent Sarawak,” she said.
However Nancy, who had the experience in dealing with matters pertaining to the return of Sarawak’s rights under MA63 during her previous tenure as a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, assured all that the Sarawak government would continue to pursue this matter.
“We don’t want to quarrel unnecessarily over these things; we only need to negotiate properly,” she stressed, adding that the fight for Sarawak’s rights had been championed by Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, Sarawak’s fifth chief minister, for many years before his death on Jan 11 last year.
“This is not something new. We hope to negotiate on several matters, especially our oil and gas resources as well as what’s written in MA63. We just want to keep our claims alive — this is the spirit of MA63,” she said, adding that the negotiations ‘are almost there’.
On the subject matter on MA63 presented to Sarawakians during the session, Nancy viewed the agreement as ‘a history that must be made known to Sarawakians, especially the students’.
“The young people should know our struggles in Sarawak. We just want to ensure that we in Sarawak be given what is rightfully ours, like what’s written in the Malaysia Agreement.”
Nancy was one of the panellists in the forum, which had Sarawak’s Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol as the moderator.
The other two speakers were Sarawak’s Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, and Tun Jugah Foundation chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leonard Linggi Jugah – the eldest son of Tun Jugah Barieng, one of the signatories of MA63.