KOTA KINABALU, Sabah: Sarawak reiterated its continued commitment to defending state rights and protections under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Sarawak Attorney-General, Datuk Seri Saferi Ali, said these include the push for one-third parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak and calls to expedite the implementation of Orders under Article 95C of the Federal Constitution.
He said efforts to restore the constitutional balance envisioned during the formation of Malaysia continue to be carried out through lawful and constitutional channels, grounded in the spirit of MA63 and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.
He added, historically, the provision for one-third parliamentary representation for Sabah and Sarawak functioned as an institutional safeguard to ensure meaningful participation of the Borneo states in the law-making process and in amendments to the Federal Constitution.
“These efforts are undertaken through structured engagement, consensus-building and full adherence to the Federal Constitution, MA63 and the IGC Report,” he said.
He said this in his speech at the Opening of Legal Year 2026 for Sabah and Sarawak at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) today.
He also said that several matters related to MA63 have recorded significant progress, including the amendment to the Sarawak Labour Ordinance which came into effect on May 1, 2025, thereby restoring Sarawak’s regulatory autonomy over labour matters.
In addition, the reclassification of Bintulu Port as a state port has further strengthened Sarawak’s role in the state’s economic governance.
However, Saferi said there are still matters yet to be finalised, including the need to gazette an Order under Article 95C of the Federal Constitution to give the Sarawak Government authority to manage scheduled waste.
“This matter has been agreed upon by all parties and its implementation must be expedited to enable Sarawak to have full control over environmental management,” he said.
Meanwhile, he welcomed the High Court’s decision affirming Sabah’s right to 40 per cent of state revenue under Article 112C of the Federal Constitution, stressing that the decision also confirms the federal government’s obligations to Sarawak, subject to judicial review.
He said that under Article 112D, Sarawak is entitled to periodic financial reviews and ongoing negotiations to reach a fair and transparent mechanism.
“The Sarawak Government has submitted a formula to the federal government to expedite this financial review process. While awaiting the finalisation of the formula, the Interim Special Grant has been increased to RM600 million per year starting 2025,” he said.
He added that Sarawak will continue to negotiate constructively and in good faith with the hope that a sustainable long-term solution can be achieved to strengthen the Malaysian Federation as a whole.
