BEAUFORT: Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) should transcend political differences, with both political advocacy and legal action playing complementary roles, a Sabah Star leader said.
Jin Tze Vun, a member of the party’s supreme council and Beaufort division chief, said he remained firmly behind party president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan in pushing for Sabah’s rights at the federal level.
He also expressed support for lawyer Datuk Roger Chin’s efforts to defend Sabah’s rights through legal channels, saying all such initiatives should be assessed on their merits rather than political affiliations.
“Both efforts share the same ultimate goal, which is to defend Sabah’s rights and future,” Jin said in a statement.
Commenting on a public survey on MA63 published on Oct. 16, 2026, Jin said 19.47pc of respondents supported the agreement, 6.46pc opposed it and 74.07pc expressed no position.
He said the large proportion of undecided respondents did not necessarily indicate opposition to MA63, but highlighted the need to raise public awareness, particularly among younger people, about the agreement and Sabah’s constitutional rights.
Jin also cited a survey indicator suggesting that 74.53pc viewed political messaging on MA63 as rhetoric or “political theatre”.
He said the findings should prompt leaders to demonstrate tangible progress and greater transparency rather than rely on political slogans.
“People have the right to know what has been achieved, which issues remain unresolved and what steps will be taken next,” he said.
Jin urged political leaders and the public to support lawful efforts to safeguard Sabah’s rights, stressing that MA63 must be backed by sustained implementation.
“MA63 must not remain merely a political slogan. It must be translated into responsibility and sustained implementation,” he said.
