PARTI Bersatu Sabah defends trip to London over Malaysia Agreement 1963 documents
Published on: Monday, June 27, 2022
PARTI Bersatu Sabah (PBS) defended the planned trip to London by a team of Federal and Sabah Government officials led by party President Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, saying it is to seek further clarification on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) documents.PBS Information Chief Datuk Julita Majungki said while there, they would be accessing confidential and historical documents that are only available at the National Archives.
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“This trip is important, not just to the Federal Government, but mostly for Sabah and Sabahans. Research of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 documents in The National Archives (TNA) would be able to cover all rights and matters of Sabah under the MA63,” she said.
Tanjong Papat Assemblyman-cum-Sabah DAP Chairman Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung was among several quarters who questioned Ongkili’s visit due at the end of this week.
Majungki said it was equally important for the team to extract as much information to pursue and fight for Sabah’s rights.
“Yes, the Sarawak Government had done a similar fact-finding mission before, but this trip is not a duplication of their effort as the team, which consists of top officials from the Federal and Sabah governments, will have their own focus.
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“While the Federal Government has its own focus, the Sabah team could anchor on data, particularly minutes of Cobbold, Inter-Government Committee (IGC) and Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) meetings that were previously confidential and have now been declassified and can only be accessed at the TNA.
“So what is wrong with going to London to get them?” she asked Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) President Voon Lee Shan, who had also criticised the trip.
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Ongkili is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs.
Majungki, who is State Assistant Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister, said instead of criticising the Government’s good intentions, people should be grateful that efforts are being made to put things right.
“Do not be too quick to judge. We should be excited about the end result because their efforts would do good to Sabah, and Sabahans, as a whole,” she said, citing Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, who disclosed that the State managed to regain its rights enshrined under the MA63 because it had access to records and archives which were properly maintained in the country and overseas.
He said the Sarawak Government was lucky because the delegation sent to the United Kingdom managed to get hold of materials and records on the agreement which proved crucial to start the negotiations.
“Our negotiations were based on records and historical data. Without all these, we would not have enjoyed the outcome,” Amar Jaul had said.
According to Ongkili, part of the data collected would be contributed to the Research and Development Depository Centre on MA63, to be set up soon.
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