SIBU: Demanding the return of state rights as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) does not mean the people of Sarawak do not have a patriotic spirit, says the state's Premier.
THREE committees have been formed to discuss MA63 rights.
Round 1
In 2017, stating that Sabah was BN‘s fixed deposit and realizing the emergence of Sabah rights as a political issue, then Prime Minister Dato Najib Razak established a Devolution of Authority to Sabah and Sarawak and Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) implementation committee.
This was at the behest and insistence of then Foreign Minister from Sabah, Datuk Anifah Aman. This cabinet level committee was headed by Anifah and Dato Nancy Shukri. At the state level the Sabah State committee was headed by Datuk Teo Chee Kang. No agreement was reached because BN lost the general elections in 2018.
Round 2
Then under the PH government in 2018, a Presidential council headed by then PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad was formed together, among others, with the Chief Ministers of Sabah and Sarawak.
Much was done by the late Datuk VK Liew who worked tirelessly to raise 21 matters as the issues to be discussed