SIBU: The Sarawak government is not bothered with the views of certain parties on its efforts to reclaim the state’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
What is important is that Prime Minister Najib Razak is receptive, Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said today.
Abang Johari said Najib had publicly declared that the state’s rights under the agreement would be restored.
The chief minister stressed that the negotiations should be based on facts and not on emotions.
“I do not want to be emotional in this and it should not be a popularity game,” he told reporters after opening the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Zon 8 branch delegates’ meeting here today.
Abang Johari said MA63 was a sacred and international agreement under the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC).
“The first phase of negotiations in relation to administrative matters was agreed during the tenure of Tok Nan (late chief minister Adenan Satem) and some had been implemented, such as granting the mandate to the deputy public prosecutor to prosecute certain criminal cases.”
Abang Johari said efforts to reclaim Sarawak’s rights were meant to secure the future of the state.
“We have entered the second phase of negotiations based on the constitution, specifically Article 112D and the maritime boundary, which should be at 12 nautical miles.”
He said Sarawak had evidence in the form of British colonial government documents brought back to London after the establishment of Malaysia.
The documents, which were previously classified as secret and confidential, were obtained by a team of lawmakers sent to London in July, led by Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
Certain parties, in particular the opposition, had regarded the Sarawak government’s efforts as mere play acting (“main wayang”) with Barisan Nasional, ahead of the 14th general election. -FMT
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