Eight MA63 claims still under negotiation between Sarawak and federal govt

New Straits Times

21-05-2025

KUCHING: Eight claims related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) remain the focus of ongoing negotiations between the Sarawak and federal governments.
Deputy Minister of Law, Malaysia Agreement and State-Federal Relations, Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, said Sarawak would continue to engage with the federal government on matters pertaining to MA63.
She said this was to ensure that all rights enshrined under MA63, the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report, and the Federal Constitution are restored and upheld.
The eight items currently under negotiation, she said, include a proposal to increase the number of members of Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak in the Dewan Rakyat.
"The second claim concerns the proposed amendment of Item 25A (Tourism) in List I (Federal) of the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, to be moved to List III (Concurrent)," she said.
"The third claim, which is still under negotiation, relates to health, specifically, to empower the Sarawak Health director to carry out functions under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), as well as issues concerning the development, upgrading, and planning of healthcare facilities in Sarawak."
She was responding to Lidam Assan (GPS–Katibas) on the status of MA63 negotiations during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting today.
Hasidah said the fourth item under negotiation is related to education, including staffing issues, the implementation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem) subjects in English, and matters relating to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
"We also want the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department to be recognised as a Technical Department under Treasury Instruction 182," she said.
"The sixth item relates to Article 112 of the Federal Constitution, while the seventh involves the Borneonisation of the Federal public service in Sarawak.
"The eighth claim concerns the development of the Sabah-Sarawak-Kalimantan border area."
She said the Sarawak government is also actively pursuing two matters that have been agreed to in principle: the devolution of regulatory authority over environmental matters to Sarawak through the Natural Resources and Environment Board, and an amendment to the Federal Constitution regarding the appointment of Judicial Commissioners in Sarawak.
"For the latter, the Sarawak government has submitted a draft proposal to amend Article 122AB of the Federal Constitution to the Judicial Appointments Commission," she said.
Hasidah added that nine claims previously under negotiation have been resolved as of May 2025.
Among the resolved matters are the handover of regulatory authority for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to the Sarawak government through Petros, and the amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to restore Sabah and Sarawak's status as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia.
Other resolved matters include the amendment to the interpretation of the term 'Federation' under Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution, which now includes MA63 and related instruments such as the IGC Report as integral components of the Constitution.
"The fourth resolved item is the amendment to Article 161A, giving Sarawak full power to define the term 'native' in a more comprehensive and inclusive manner.
"The fifth empowers the Sarawak Marine Fisheries Department and the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development to issue deep-sea fishing licences," she said.