THE voices of dissent from Sabah and Sarawak will continue to be a thorn in the side of Malaysia as long as Putrajaya fails to comply with the terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said a first-term Gabungan Parti Sarawak MP.

Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni told a forum in Kuching yesterday that the promises made by the federal government to restore Sarawak as an equal partner in the federation and reinstating its eroded rights as spelt out in the MA63 are nothing but “sweet promises”.

He told the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) undergraduates in the Masa Depan Malaysia: Prospek dan Cabaran (the Future of Malaysia: Prospects and Challenges) forum that if Putrajaya is sincere and serious about respecting Sarawak’s rights, then the state need not sue the federal government.

“Why do we have to take (the payment of) our state sales tax to court?” he said, alluding to the ongoing suit the state comptroller of sales tax filed against Petronas over the non-payment of the tax in the Kuching High Court.

Lukanisman said the promises made by the current tenants in Putrajaya – Pakatan Harapan – to the Borneo states, are no different from the previous coalition – Barisan Nasional.

“We experienced them when we were part of the previous government,” he said, referring to the current Sarawak administration being part of the BN coalition.

“Equal partners, (return of) state rights are only sweet talk.”

Putrajaya is instead treating Sarawak “like a colony”.

“MA63 is going to be a hurdle to a better Malaysia.”

Another panellist, Kelvin Yii, said winning over the civil service that had so much sympathy for the ousted BN government is one of the hurdles the PH government needs to surmount for a better Malaysia.

“One of the challenges the (PH) government face is in the implementation of its policies.

“In order to implement the policies effectively and properly, we need the collaboration and assistance of the civil service who are the implementors,” the DAP Bandar Kuching MP said.

Yii, another first-term MP, said the government faces “some resistance” from the civil service when it comes to implementing policies.

He, however, said a majority of civil servants are genuine, sincere and are willing to work for the good of the people. – February 6, 2020.