PARTI Warisan and Gabungan Bersatu Sabah leaders are planning to file a fresh motion on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in the Sabah legislative assembly soon. 

Under the previous Barisan Nasional government, attempts by state assemblymen to raise the matter in the house had been constantly rejected by the speaker. 

In the final sitting last year, three motions on the matter were rejected. 

However, plans to file another motion are in the works, Sabah Star president Jeffrey Kitingan said, saying he himself would file a motion at the next assembly sitting if the Warisan-led government drags its feet on the matter. 

“I have asked this ‘temporary’ government about asserting state rights and if no action is taken, I will do it in the next round.

“I might also do it in Parliament,” said Jeffrey, who is both the Tambunan state assemblyman and Keningau MP. 

In the run-up to the 14th general election, state rights and MA63 issues were used by political candidates on all sides in their attempt to win over Sabah voters.

This included the ruling party, Warisan and its partners in the government, Pakatan Harapan’s PKR, DAP and United Pasok Momogun KadazanDusun Murut Organisation.  

Kitingan cites himself as among the pioneers and advocates of the issues, which began gaining traction soon after the 2008 general election. 

PH’s pledge to relook state rights is believed to be one of the factors behind Warisan-PH’s win in May.   

In its New Deal manifesto, PH had included the return of state rights, as well as increasing Sabah’s oil royalty from 5% to 20% and 50% revenue sharing between the federal and state governments. 

However, no word on these issues have been forthcoming since PH formed the federal government. 

Warisan vice-president cum Tanjung Aru assemblyman Junz Wong, meanwhile, says he plans to bring up the state rights issue with the Sabah cabinet. 

Wong previously filed a motion on state rights in the last state assembly in November 17 when he was an opposition assemblyman. 

“We are definitely going to work on the reinstatement of state rights, but not until a comprehensive study and briefing are done. 

“We dont want to do half-baked work. Most importantly, the cabinet must be briefed on the matter and all the work must go through the proper channels,” said Wong, adding that Shafie stood by him on the issue.  

A study carried out by MySabah commissioned by the previous BN government found that the federal government had failed to pay Sabah its 40% annual revenue entitlement since 1973, even though this right was provided for in the Federal Constitution. – July 4, 2018.