Deputy PM Fadillah Yusof says understanding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 is crucial to reviving national unity and harmony, with rights restoration ongoing
KUCHING: A stronger understanding of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is needed as a foundation to revive the spirit of Malaysia and guarantee national unity and harmony, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the claims related to MA63 by Sabah and Sarawak are not excessive demands, but are based on rights enshrined in the agreement and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.
“Related issues are being refined through discussions at the technical committee level and related councils chaired by the Prime Minister and the relevant ministers to ensure the restoration of rights can be implemented in an orderly and prudent manner,” he told reporters after attending an Oxford and Cambridge Alumni Network dinner here.
Fadillah said this approach is important so the process of restoring rights can harmonise relations between the people and maintain unity and harmony in the country.
He added that the aspect of education also plays an important role in shaping this understanding.
In the national education process, emphasis should be given to the history of the formation of Malaysia and not only focus on the history of the formation of Malaya.
“Matters related to Malaysia, MA63 and the Inter-Governmental Committee Report are actually already included in our history syllabus, but understanding of its content still needs to be strengthened,” he said.
Fadillah said the spirit of Malaysia, which is based on MA63, demands a comprehensive understanding of the content of the agreement, including matters that have been agreed to be returned to the states.
