KOTA KINABALU: A team of experts will fly to London to pore over historical documents that can reaffirm the validity of claims made under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Led by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, the team also includes researchers and officials from both the Federal and Sabah governments.
The team is scheduled to leave for the week-long assignment on June 19 to search and study any references related to the state's rights under MA63, said to be kept at the National Archives in London.
"Preliminary research shows that over 300 documents referring to our rights and matters related to the MA63 are at the National Archives in London.
"There have been so many misconceptions and it is time to set the records right. MA63 is not just an agreement, and we need all the facts and figures to enable us to make claims that are rightfully ours," he said in a statement today.
Ongkili stressed that it was vital for the team to do their homework to ensure the rights under MA63 were protected.
A similar move was carried out by the Sarawak government six years ago.
"We are excited as finally, we can get hold and access these confidential documents, which have now been declassified at the National Archives. We hope to get better insights what transpired prior to our independence in 1963," he said.
Among those in the team are Sabah Attorney-General Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof; Sabah's envoy to Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines - East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, as well as legal and other top officials from the state government.