KOTA KINABALU: The recent trip to London by a team of federal and Sabah officials was not a “waste of time”, says the delegation head Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.
Fending off criticisms, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) maintained that the trip was fruitful as he and the delegates managed to see the original copies of documents related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“I have just returned from London and it has not been a waste of time as claimed by many.
“I saw and touched the documents, many of which used to be classified, but are now declassified,” he said when opening Parti Bersatu Sabah’s (PBS) congress here yesterday.
Ongkili said there were also documents concerning the Cobbold Commission, held to find out whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak agreed to be part of the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, which he saw and read.
“For example, I found out that Sabahans at that time were divided on this matter.
“A third of them agreed to joining the formation, while another third would only agree if terms and conditions were set and met,” he added.
Ongkili said the remaining were divided into two groups: one (40% of respondents) who said they did not want to join the formation, and the rest (60%) who said “yes”, but only after they gained independence from the British.
He added that there were other important pieces of information recorded, such as “wanting to know what Malaya can do for Sabah” and whether joining the federation would see Sabah, known as Borneo at that time, ending up losing its wealth and resources.
All this handwritten information was properly stored in the archives in London, he said.
“It was never a waste of time and energy to go to London to get this information and we held discussions with some Sarawakian leaders who were also present,” he added.
Speaking to reporters later, the PBS president said what was left for the state government and Federal Government to work out was on the implementation of state rights.
“The Sabah government will have to sit down and discuss this,” he added.
