KUCHING, Sept 12 2026: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president called on the federal government to move beyond discussions and deliver a comprehensive and time-bound settlement of the constitutional and political issues arising from the formation of Malaysia.
He said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's presence, together with the participation of Premier Abang Johari Openg and Chief Minister Hajiji Noor in Kota Kinabalu, demonstrates that the implementation of MA63 remains a matter of national importance.
“However, PBK's position goes further. It maintains that the validity, foundation and continuing constitutional consequences of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 must be examined honestly and without political fear,” Voon said in a statement when commenting on the Implementation of MA63 Action Council meeting in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.
“Our position is that there are serious historical and constitutional questions as to whether the Malaysia Agreement was validly implemented in accordance with all of its essential terms and safeguards,” Voon said.
He added PBK also maintains that, even assuming that MA63 was validly implemented, the constitutional circumstances and foundations upon which Malaysia was formed were materially altered by the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965.
“These are legitimate constitutional and political questions which must not be treated as taboo,” he said, adding that MA63 itself records that North Borneo and Sarawak, together with Singapore, were to be federated with the existing states of the Federation of Malaya and that the resulting federation was thereafter to be called Malaysia.
“The original constitutional structure of 1963 also expressly distinguished the states of Malaya from the Borneo States of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
“PBK therefore rejects any historical narrative which treats Sarawak and Sabah merely as ordinary administrative units of Malaya.
“They were founding Borneo States and constituent parties in the formation of Malaysia, with special constitutional safeguards and arrangements arising from MA63 and the constitutional instruments associated with it.
“The constitutional settlement must therefore be restored and respected in substance, not merely in words,” Voon stressed.
He said PBK suggested that federal government must review and, where necessary, repeal, amend or restore every provision of the Federal Constitution which has diminished, altered or failed to give effect to the constitutional position, safeguards and rights originally secured for Sarawak and Sabah.
He said the objective must be to restore the constitutional balance contemplated at the formation of Malaysia, including the distinct position of the Borneo States within the Federation.
“This must not be reduced to changing terminology alone. Constitutional recognition must be accompanied by the restoration of the substance of the rights and safeguards,” he said.
Voon also said the governments of Sarawak and Sabah must jointly demand from the federal government the restoration of all constitutional, legislative, administrative and financial rights, powers and safeguards which were transferred, reduced, diluted, altered or otherwise taken away contrary to the constitutional settlement associated with MA63.
“This should include a comprehensive review of matters relating to legislative and executive powers, immigration, financial rights, natural resources, development, public administration and other safeguards specifically applicable to Sarawak and Sabah.
“The federal government must provide a clear list of outstanding matters, a timetable for implementation and a mechanism for independent verification,” he suggested.
Voon also said there must be a definite and short timetable for the federal government to complete the restoration of these rights.
“This cannot continue indefinitely from one negotiation to another, from one committee to another and from one prime minister to another.
“If the federal government is unwilling or unable to complete the constitutional settlement within the agreed timetable, then the governments and peoples of Sarawak and Sabah must consider, through lawful, democratic and constitutional means, what further constitutional options are available to them,” he said, pointing out that PBK does not advocate violence, disorder or unconstitutional action.
“But PBK will not accept the proposition that Sarawak and Sabah must remain permanently bound by an arrangement merely because successive governments have failed to honour its constitutional spirit and safeguards.
“PBK therefore calls for political courage, not endless negotiation,” Voon stressed, stating that if constitutional safeguards were agreed, they must be respected.
