KOTA KINABALU: The restoration of Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is a shared journey that every Sabahan must undertake, said a DAP lawmaker.
Incumbent Kapayan assemblyman Datuk Jannie Lasimbang said while many claim to champion Sabah’s cause, the struggle for recognition and equality started with Sabah's founding leaders in 1963, who entered the federation with hope and vision.
“Our forefathers signed MA63 with hope, hope for a nation built on mutual respect and equal partnership.
“They believed Sabah would stand proudly as an equal partner in the Federation of Malaysia. The Batu Sumpah that was erected in 1964 in Keningau reiterated the hopes of indigenous peoples,” she said.
Lasimbang said Sabahans have endured past tragic events such as the Double Six Tragedy, riots of 1985 and the 2013 Sulu intrusion and it must continue to remain strong for generations to come so that Sabah’s dignity and rightful place in Malaysia can be defended.
“I acknowledged the pivotal contributions by leaders such as Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, Zainal Ajamain, Datuk Ewon Benedick and other leaders.
“Each played a role in advancing MA63 from awareness to action, leading to key victories like the legal decision by the Sabah Law Society on Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement,” she said.
Lasimbang said struggles of Sabah leaders evolved based on information and technology that they had during their time, bringing about different forms of achievements leading to what is seen today.
“In the early 80’s Dr Jeffery and Yong emphasised on the 20 Points, and only around the year 2000 did we start using the MA63 documents,” she said.
She said the MA63 is now recognised nationally as a foundational and binding document, not just a symbolic one with discussions now centred on the restoration of equal partner status, decentralisation, and implementation of outstanding rights.
None of these achievements came from a single individual’s fight, but from decades of collective wisdom and perseverance, and love for Sabah, Lasimbang stressed.
She said achieving the MA63 rights should be viewed as a service-oriented, principled cause, not a matter of partisan politics.
“Let history remember us not for our quarrels but for our unity, not for how loudly we spoke but for how far we carried Sabah forward,” said Lasimbang.
