No evidence for equal partnership

SABAHANS and Sarawakians are clamouring for the return of the state rights enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which have over time been eroded by the Federal Government.

I fully support this demand. However, there is another demand by Sabah and Sarawak which has become very vocal. This is the “restoration” of equal status to the two states with the Federation of Malaya. Sabahans and Sarawa­kians claim that Malaysia is an entity of three equal partners that is the Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak, and as such the two Borneo states cannot be relegated to the position of the original 11 states of the Federation of Malaya.