100 percent Pandikar will lose MA63 debate

Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia has shot himself in the foot – that’s for sure.

I am still at a loss as to why he said what he said – that the terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) had been adhered to contrary to claims otherwise.

To be fair to Pandikar, I have not read his book and therefore not sure what his references are to MA63, if any, in the new publication.

The current backlash against him was his statement made at the book launch. Why on earth did he touch on such a sensitive topic and used such unpopular words, deemed unworthy and unpatriotic for a Sabahan?

I am wondering whether the learned lawyer and eminent House speaker is aware of the fine print in MA63, consisting of 20 points for Sabah and 18 points for Sarawak. Those were safeguards for the two Borneo territories for being party to the creation of Malaysia in 1963.

One great loss to Sabah and Sarawak was the 1976 constitutional amendments downgrading the two Borneo territories as the 12th and 13th states in Malaysia.

Even the rural folks in Sabah and Sarawak who never had the opportunity to go to school knew that they have been short-changed as a result of this 1976 revision.

Don’t tell me that Pandikar, a veteran political figure from Sabah, is unaware of this great loss and turnaround for his home state. If a senior Sabahan leader is that pathetic and ignorant, I truly feel sorry for my brethren in the beautiful “Land below the Wind”.  

An immediate rebuke came from Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Abang Openg (photo) who disapproved of Pandikar’s statement, stressing that MA63 was an important document and that Sarawak was fighting to reclaim its rights which had been eroded over the years. He went on to dismiss Pandikar’s statement as “rubbish”.

The speaker shot back at the Sarawak chief minister, angrily exclaiming that “if he disagrees with me 10 percent, then I disagree with him 100 percent.”

Pandikar repeated that he disagreed with Abang Johari 100 percent twice in a KiniTV video. Answering a reporter’s question, the speaker also proudly said that he would be ready to debate Abang Johari on MA63 “anytime, in front of you guys (reporters), anytime”.  

As a Sarawakian, I wish to remind Pandikar that I, too, have a personal stake in this matter – as do all Sarawakians and Sabahans. I want all the rights for my home state as spelt out in MA63 reverted and respected henceforth.

Of paramount importance to me is the recognition of Sarawak as one of three entities in Malaysia, religious freedom with no hidden restrictions, English as the official language and encouraged to be used as widely as possible without any inference from the Education Ministry, increased oil royalty and immigration autonomy to remain intact.

There are no two ways around that. Just give us back what is rightfully ours and allow us to run our own affairs. Unless that is done, our demand will continue and the longer the delay in righting this wrong, the louder and more vociferous our voices will be. 

An Umno stooge?

I’m not sure what good will a debate between Pandikar and Abang Johari do. I doubt the Sarawak chief minister will accept the debate challenge.

Abang Johari is not a politician to throw cheap shots at his opponents or discredit anyone publicly. He is known as a mild-mannered and diplomatic leader. 

Although I am in favour of this new debate culture on the Malaysian political stage, I think this MA63 topic is lop-sided. I can confidently state here that Pandikar will lose by a mile, if a winner is to be declared after the debate.

Not unexpectedly, Pandikar (photo) has been widely criticised for issuing the challenge to the Sarawak chief minister, with one Facebook post describing it as “inappropriate and exceeding the duties and authority of the Dewan Rakyat speaker”.

A Sarawak assistant minister called Pandikar’s challenge “strange and shocking”, adding that it was rare for a Dewan Rakyat speaker to throw such a challenge,

But I would give credit to Pandikar too. His challenge might be seen as awkward and silly, but it is a testimony of his strength of character too. He is not someone to run away and hide when cornered. That he is ready to take on the Sarawak chief minister.

Pandikar must have learned well in his many years as speaker. He had made many tough decisions in Parliament which did not go down well with opposition members.

But it’s indeed unfortunate that this gallant Sabahan had ignited a topic and taken a stand which is not in sync with the majority in his home state.

That’s when his motives are questioned and talk of him being an Umno stooge started to surface. People cannot be blamed for being suspicious for this is the first time that a prominent Sabah leader has sided with Malaya over the MA63 row. 

Perhaps Bingkor assemblyperson Jeffrey Kitingan said it best for Sabahans when he stated that Pandikar was doing a great disservice with his distorted views that the relevant constitutional documents are not valid, that the MA63 and the rights of Sabah have been fully implemented.

Jeffery further said if the constitutional documents are invalid, then as the speaker, Pandikar should move a motion to declare Malaysia invalid and dissolve the federation and send the MPs from Sabah and Sarawak back to their home nations.

Would Pandikar be prepared to do that? Possibly not in his life time.

So dear speaker, forget the debate and move on. Just be careful not to hurt the feelings of your fellow Sabahans again.

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.- Mkini