Address genuine grievances

REFLECTING on the status of Sabah and Sarawak in the Malaysian Federation during a Malaysia Day celebration at Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu on Sept 16, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad made some significant observations which should shape our understanding of how the two states relate to Putrajaya.

It is true that Sabah and Sarawak together with Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia were deemed to be four equal partners in the formation of Malaysia in 1963. This was recognised not only in the Malaysia Agreement of 1963 (MA63) but also under the original Schedule 1(2) of the Federal Constitution.