AS controversy surrounding the relevance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) continues to swirl, Sarawak’s deputy chief minister says events leading to the agreement and formation of Malaysia should be part of the History subject taught in schools.

“It should be taught in our schools. It should be taught as it is and not a revised version or even an edited version,” James Jemut Masing said when asked about the ongoing spat between Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia and Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.

Masing said any alteration to the spirit of the agreement would be unacceptable.

“It should be taught as it is. You cannot change history. You cannot rewrite history,” he said after signing a memorandum of understanding for the Batang Ai Education Fund, which would be parked under the Bakun Charitable Trust that he chairs, and state power company Sarawak Energy Bhd in Kuching today.

Pandikar had, in a public forum in Kota Kinabalu last month, played down the importance of the MA63, which led to the formation of Malaysia.

He also claimed that the emergence of documents in relation to the history of the formation, such as the 20-Point Memorandum (in Sabah, and 18-Point for Sarawak) and the Cobbold Commission Report, which research teams from Sabah and Sarawak had sent to London to retrieve to shore up their claims for the return of eroded rights and a full compliance of the agreement, were “not legally binding agreements”.

When the Sarawak chief minister last week said he disagreed with Pandikar’s view and said Pandikar did not know what he was talking about, the Dewan Rakyat speaker challenged him to a public debate about it.

Abang Johari dismissed the challenge, calling it stupid and that he did not want to debate “budak-budak paloi” (stupid kids).

Pandikar retorted by branding Abang Johari an “elitist”.

In a statement, Pandikar said he was disappointed that there were leaders who considered themselves so elitist that they could not debate with “budak-budak paloi”.

“The kid who is deemed to be so stupid is in reality held in high esteem by those who are more powerful than the person who considers himself to be elite.”

Masing, meanwhile, said he respected Pandikar’s opinion on the non-importance of the MA63 to Sabah.

“If he is talking about Sabah’s view, then let it stay and be confined to Sabah.

“If he says Sabah doesn’t need the MA63, I won’t argue with him. In Sarawak, we have our own view.

“If Sabah doesn’t need the MA63, Sarawak certainly does. In Sarawak, it is very very relevant.

“In Sarawak, we see the MA63 as the lynchpin that allows Malaysia to be created as, without the agreement, there is no Malaysia.

“If (Pandikar) thinks the MA63 is irrelevant in Sabah, that’s his opinion and I won’t argue with him on that.” – December 4, 2017.