All must support efforts to restore Sabah and Sarawak as one entity

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Shafie tossing the Yee Sang together with other invited guests at the N.17 Tanjung Aru Chinese New Year Celebration.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has called on all parties to support the government’s efforts to restore Sabah and Sarawak status as one territory which has been stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He said the matter was discussed with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during a recent MA63 meeting.

“At that meeting, we brought up the status of Sabah and Sarawak as one territory. I am confident the federal government will approve this because it has been enshrined in the constitution and does not require any vote,” he told reporters after attending the Parti Warisan Sabah Chinese New Year celebrations at Tanjung Aru, here today.

He was commenting on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, that the government would come up with a motion in Parliament next month to restore Sabah and Sarawak status as one territory.

Mohd Shafie said many more matters have to be carried out to restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as stipulated in MA63, but it takes time.

“We have been waiting for this many years and now the prime minister has given us space to discuss and help us … so we do not have to be in a hurry, what is important is for our efforts to be supported by all parties,” he said.

On Sept 16 last year, during the Malaysia Day celebration in Kota Kinabalu, Dr Mahathir had announced that the equal partner status of Sabah and Sarawak in Peninsular Malaysia would be restored. -Bernama