Misreading MA63
Former Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Harun claims the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) contains no clause guaranteeing Sabah and Sarawak 35% of parliamentary seats. While his argument is lop-sided, his narrow, overly literal reading misleads Malaysians and ignores the safeguards built into MA63 to protect East Malaysia’s equal-partner status.
Reducing this debate to a single sentence in MA63 misses the larger truth: constitutional interpretation must honour the intent and spirit of the Agreement, not diminish it.
A Compact for Equal Partners
MA63 was a political compact ensuring Sabah and Sarawak formed Malaysia as equals, not as ordinary states of Malaya. The Malaysia Bill and Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report shaped the Federal Constitution with transitional guarantees, including a requirement to maintain the original parliamentary seat allocation for at least seven years.
In 1963, Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak together held slightly more than one-third of the parliamentary seats —deliberately designed to prevent unilateral constitutional changes by Malaya that can change the basic character of the Malaysian Federation. When Singapore left in 1965, fairness demanded its seats be redistributed to Sabah and Sarawak. Instead, all the MP seats were allocated to Malaya. Repeated redelineations cut East Malaysia’s share over time to barely 25%, eroding the original safeguard.
Erosion of Safeguards
The 1976 constitutional amendments downgraded Sabah and Sarawak to ordinary states. Today, with such diminished representation, Malaya can amend the Federal Constitution without a single vote from Sabah or Sarawak—an alarming reality that erodes the very protections MA63 promised.
A Call to Action
Federal leaders, including Prime Minister, speak of restoring East Malaysia’s rights, yet his own political secretary, Chan Ming Kai, has admitted a 35% allocation would make it harder for “them” to win. This reveals why promises remain unfulfilled.
The demand for one-third representation is not empty rhetoric but a demand to restore the balance originally agreed in 1963 and honour Sabah and Sarawak’s status as equal partners.
As Sabahans approach the next state elections, we must act decisively. Only strong, truly local parties can defend the rights guaranteed under MA63. Stand with local voices to safeguard our representation and autonomy for generations to come.
Lawyer Yong Yit Jee
Supreme Council Member cum Vice Youth Chief
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP)