Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (second right) and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (right) at the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963’s Security Working Committee meeting, in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday.
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 12): The rights and safeguards of Sabah and Sarawak were thoroughly discussed at the federal level, through the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MKMA63), and its four working committees, including security.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said under the new team, the terms of reference are all-encompassing which cover the Sabah and Sarawak’s rights and safeguards, socio-economic development, financial legal commitments and conditions, illegal immigrants and immigration, and security and border controls, and socio-economic development.
“Unlike under the Pakatan Harapan Government, the Special Cabinet Committee on Reviewing the Implementation of MA63 (JKKKMA63) focused only on issues of rights, safeguards, and other legal aspects of MA63.
‘While under the Perikatan Nasional Government, the government terms of reference of the MKMA63 are all-encompassing, covering legal rights and safeguards; financial legal commitments and conditions; security and border controls of Sabah and Sarawak; safeguards; illegal immigrants, illegal immigration and foreign intrusion; as well as socio-economic development,” he said after the Security Working Committee with Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, here, Tuesday.
Ongkili, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah President, said that during the meeting, issues discussed were joint security issues faced by Sabah and Sarawak and action being taken by security agencies to ensure border security is always maintained by national security bodies.
“The committee also discussed papers about citizenship issues of orang asal, or natives, of both Sabah and Sarawak who are yet to have citizenship documents,” he said.
The Kota Marudu Member of Parliament added that outcomes and resolutions of all four working committees will be tabled at the MKMA63 meeting on Thursday (Oct 14), which will be chaired by the Prime Minister Datuk Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and attended by both Sabah and Sarawak Chief Ministers, namely Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, respectively.