Kota Kinabalu: Likas Assemblyman Tham Yun Fook said that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is not just a single document, but a framework of constitutional agreements, including the Cobbold Commission Report and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.
These agreements, he said, guarantee fiscal autonomy and resources, and reflect the principles of federalism agreed upon when Sabah and Sarawak joined to form Malaysia.
His comments came in response to a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said at the Dewan Rakyat on January 26, where she claimed that the MA63 does not contain provisions related to oil and gas.
Tham disagreed, asserting that her statement shows a lack of understanding of the historical context and the spirit of the agreement, particularly from the perspective of Sabah and Sarawak.
Tham emphasised that while the terms “oil and gas” are not explicitly mentioned in the MA63, the agreement’s spirit and intent recognise the states’ rights over their natural resources.
He criticised a narrow interpretation of the MA63 based solely on its literal text, arguing that this undermines the principles of federalism and the constitutional guarantees of Sabah and Sarawak.
He also expressed concern that such statements come from a minister responsible for law and institutional reform, especially given the importance of MA63 to the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
Tham called for a more honest and fact-based dialogue, urging the Federal Government to respect the spirit of the agreement and address historical justice rather than using legal loopholes to deny state rights.
“Sabah is not asking for more than what was promised, but only what was agreed upon in 1963,” Tham said.
