Kota Kinabalu: Five proposals have been put forward to ensure the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) becomes a meaningful part of Malaysia’s national narrative, including strengthening its coverage in schools, improving access to historical documents and increasing transparency in its implementation.
The proposals were highlighted by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Deputy Information Chief Dr Bonaventure Boniface (pic) following the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent suggestion that MA63 be incorporated into the national narrative, a move welcomed by the governments of Sabah and Sarawak.
His first proposal calls for greater coverage of the Cobbold Commission, the 1962 Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) report, MA63, as well as the 20-Point and 18-Point agreements in the national history curriculum.
“This would allow younger Malaysians to better understand not only that Malaysia was formed in 1963, but also the process and agreements that led to its formation,” he said in a statement.
His second proposal calls for original documents, including MA63, the IGC report and parliamentary debates relating to the 1976 constitutional amendments, to be made more accessible to the public.
“This would enable Malaysians to examine historical issues using primary sources rather than relying solely on interpretations and discussions on social media.”Dr Bonaventure, who is also the party’s Tamparuli division chief and Political Secretary to Sabah Works and Utilities Minister cum Deputy Chief Minister I, proposed for greater emphasis to be placed on Malaysia Day on Sept 16, with celebrations used as an opportunity to explain the formation of Malaysia and the contributions of Sabah and Sarawak.
His fourth proposal calls for a transparent review of the effects of the 1976 constitutional amendments on the position of Sabah and Sarawak through formal consultations between the federal government and the two state governments.
“The review would provide an avenue for issues that remain under discussion to be assessed based on facts, historical documents and the constitutional framework, according to the proposal,” he said.
His fifth proposal calls for greater transparency in the implementation of MA63, including through the MA63 Dashboard, with clearer information on the status of outstanding matters, targets, benchmarks and implementation timelines.
His proposals argue that making MA63 part of the national narrative should go beyond statements and annual discussions and instead become part of efforts to educate Malaysians about the country’s formation.
Malaysia was formed on Sept 16, 1963, when the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, now Sabah, and Sarawak joined to form the federation. Singapore was also a founding member before leaving Malaysia in 1965.
“MA63 should therefore be understood as part of the history of Malaysia as a whole, rather than an issue concerning only Sabah and Sarawak,” he added.
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