Selangau MP says MA63 is not just an official document, but also a pulse of the formation of Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 2026: Selangau Member of Parliament Edwin anak Banta has called for the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to be included as an important syllabus in history books.

Edwin Banta: We do not want to see the situation in Sarawak, which contributes 60 percent of the country’s gas reserves and 90 percent of Malaysia’s LNG exports, but the people of Sarawak and its own industry are ‘starving’ due to a lack of gas supply for domestic use 

He said MA63 was not just a date or official document, but rather the pulse of the formation of Malaysia which the people needed to understand to avoid misunderstandings, false accusations and political manipulation.

“The history of MA63 is not just a date or official document. It is also the pulse of the formation of Malaysia, a symbol of understanding between states or regions and the basis of mutual rights and responsibilities,” he said in Parliament, quoted as saying by WAI.fm.

On the appointment of Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) as a gas aggregator, he said it is not intended to negate the role of Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), but rather a strategic step to ensure sufficient gas supply to drive the Sarawak Gas Roadmap.

“We do not want to see the situation in Sarawak, which contributes 60 percent of the country’s gas reserves and 90 percent of Malaysia’s LNG exports, but the people of Sarawak and its own industry are ‘starving’ due to a lack of gas supply for domestic use,” he was quoted as saying.

Edwin also referred to the statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform Azalina Othman  that MA63 does not contain specific provisions on the ownership and management of oil and gas and the sector is entirely determined by the Petroleum Development Act 1974.

He questioned whether the absence of a specific clause in MA63 could be interpreted as a license to fully centralize Sarawak’s strategic resources without equal negotiations.

He also sought an explanation as to why federal laws after the formation of Malaysia were not reviewed and adjusted to reflect Sarawak’s position as a founding partner.

He also referred to the commercial agreement between Petronas and the Sarawak government in 2020, but questioned why legal uncertainties and overlapping functions were still lingering, forcing Petronas to take the matter to the Federal Court.

"Does the federal government stand that an issue of this magnitude that affects MA63 and the federal structure should be left entirely to the interpretation of the courts, without a fair and principled political solution between Federal partners?" he said.