KUCHING, Nov 25 2025: Deputy Minister of Law, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and State-Federal Relations Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali today reminded that questioning the legality or calling for the removal of MA63 may be seditious in nature.
Sharifah Hasidah: Any suggestion to cancel or abolish MA63 is therefore constitutionally untenable
She said such thoughtless actions and comments could lead to division and incite hatred among Malaysians.
“Such actions and comments are intended to divide the people of Malaysia and vilify those who work tirelessly to ensure the full implementation of MA63,” she said at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (SLA).
Sharidah Hasidah said that any statement made by any person on MA63 is their own personal opinions and carries no legal weight.
She said those who questioned MA63 are ignorant of history, adding:”It is also a blatant attack on the constitutional integrity of our federation.”
She reminded that the MA63 is the foundational instrument that gave legal effect to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, stressing that without MA63, the federation itself has no constitutional basis to exist.
“Any suggestion to cancel or abolish MA63 is therefore constitutionally untenable,” she said, in indirect reference to remarks made by former law minister Zaid Ibrahim who had called for the cancellation of the MA63.
The deputy minister noted that following a recent amendment to Article 160 of the Federal Constitution, MA63 is now an integral part of the Federal Constitution.
She said the statutory recognition further confirms that the rights and obligations arising from the MA63 form part of the supreme law of the Federation and cannot be removed by personal opinion or political rhetoric.
“In essence, MA63 remains integral, binding and constitutionally protected, and the Sarawak government will continue to ensure that its terms are upheld.
“We should ignore these foul and noisy voices especially from certain quarters and carry on with our effort of ensuring Malaysia remains united, harmonious and strong because a strong Sarawak is a strong Malaysia,” she added.
To another question, Sharifah Hasidah said Sarawak’s interests, under MA63, will continue to be safeguarded and upheld through constitutional and legal mechanisms, particularly by invoking provisions of the Federal Constitution, the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report recommendations and the MA63 itself.
“These instruments provide the legal basis for asserting and protecting our state’s rights,” she said.
She added the Sarawak government is actively engaging and participating in the Malaysian Agreement Implementation Action Council and its Technical and Working Committees, to
ensure that Sarawak's interests are continuously put forward and firmly asserted at every stage of negotiation.
She said the state government is consistently pursuing the state’s interests by raising and
reaffirming the rights through ministerial meetings, negotiations and official correspondences.
