KUCHING: Sarawak must be recognised as one of the nation's founding partners in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), says Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
In celebrating Malaysia Day, he said, it was important to remember that Sarawak had formed Malaysia together with other regions as a sovereign state with its own constitution.
"Sarawak had its own political system and administration, with its boundaries and population.
ALSO READ: Don't dispute constitutional documents that led to Malaysia's formation, says Wan Junaidi
"Sarawak cannot be reduced to a status that is less than a founding partner of Malaysia.
"This is the spirit of MA63 which our leaders strove for when they negotiated with other independence figures and the British (to form Malaysia)," he said at the state-level Malaysia Day celebration in Sri Aman, about 190km from here, on Monday (Sept 16).
His speech was read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Mohd Sanusi were the guests of honour at the celebration.
ALSO READ: PM thorough and consistent in handling MA63 claims, analysts say
Abang Johari said Sarawak was not challenging the Federation of Malaysia but seeking the restoration of its rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and MA63.
"The relationship between the Sarawak and Federal governments should be based on what is stated in the Constitution and MA63," he said.
In this respect, Abang Johari noted that 11 issues under MA63 were resolved in a special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Kota Kinabalu last week.
However, he said some matters required further discussions between the Prime Minister, Sabah Chief Minister and himself.
ALSO READ: Pushing for more
"One of the outstanding matters involves the right to collect stamp duty on sale and purchase agreements for property transactions, which can reach millions of ringgit in Sarawak annually.
"Nevertheless, I am confident all the matters under MA63 can be resolved as long as the Federal, Sarawak and Sabah governments can sit down together to discuss them in the spirit of Malaysia Madani and mutual respect," Abang Johari said.
He also thanked Anwar for increasing the interim special grant to Sarawak and Sabah from RM300mil to RM600mil as provided for in the Federal Constitution.
