KOTA KINABALU: The final report of the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) should be made public to allow people to better understand its significance and importance, Sabah Pakatan Harapan said.
Sabah PH Leadership Council in a statement said historical and factual misinterpretation over MA63 had been one of the reasons why MA63's full implementation remained a challenge 58 years of the formation of Malaysia.
"It is time for the federal government to take the responsible approach of laying out the facts truthfully as it is. Enough has been done to whittle away the rights of Sabah and Sarawak over the years," they said.
"By being transparent of the process and disclosing the final report to the public, it would be an opportunity to educate people that MA63 is an issue of national interest and not only the concerns of Sabahans and Sarawakians.
"Its successful fulfilment will be a catalyst to drive Malaysia forward with its people united together to guide its leaders in ensuring the success of this nation as how our forefathers had envisioned when they signed the Agreement in 1963."
The joint statement was issued by Datuk Christina Liew (PKR), Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (Upko), Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung (DAP), and Lahirul Latigu (Amanah).
They said during the previous PH federal rule, 17 out of 21 matters tabled by the Sabah and Sarawak governments at the cabinet's special committee meeting to review MA63's implementation had been jointly approved.
"The remaining four issues are pertaining to oil royalty issues and petroleum cash payments; oil minerals and oil fields; Territorial Sea Act 2012 (Act 750) and state rights over the continental shelf.
"There was transparency in how the discussions took place between the federal government and the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak.
"The composition of the committees formed were also made known to the public," they said.
Regretfully, they said it was the not same with the current federal government and the previous Perikatan Nasional government.
"The public has no knowledge of the existence and composition of any committees and there is no detailed explanation or transparency on the efforts made to continue the implementation of MA63.
"Now, they want to bury the final report under the Official Secrets Act (OSA). What is there to be afraid of by this government? The MA63 has been the most openly discussed matter in the country," they said.
They hoped with the reappointment of Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, a Sabahan himself, as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), could ensure MA63's full implementation.