MA63 a ‘Malayan betrayal’ of Sabah and Sarawak — Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU: The formation of Malaysia was supposed to be a plan to merge the British Territories, the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, Sabah (North Borneo then) and Brunei, and form a confederation and at the same time to grant independence to Sabah and Sarawak.

However, it was used by Malaya to colonise and betray Sabah and Sarawak, said Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan while debating on His Royal Highness, the Agong’s HRH speech in parliament several days ago.

Jeffrey said: “The objective and understanding to merge as a confederation and create a new nation was set aside at the last moment by Malaya, probably with the silent consent or endorsement by the British government, during the process of forming Malaysia.”

The merger and creation of the new nation as a confederation was agreed during the first meeting of the British and Malayan prime ministers during the Anglo-Malayan Talks on 20-22 November 1961 and announced in the Joint Statement to the media after the talks.

The agreement to create the confederation was also announced by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs the following week in the British Parliament and recorded in the British Parliament Hansard dated 28 November 1961.

The recent turn of events and the change of the federal government on 9th May 2018 has now opened the opportunity to re-visit MA63 and rectify the past mistakes and undo the betrayal of Sabah and Sarawak.

Whether the federal government and the Sabah and Sarawak governments will have the political will to do what is right and do justice for Sabahans and Sarawakians after 56 years of injustice is left to be seen.