KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth rejects calls by constitutional law expert, Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, for Works Minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, to resign over remarks made during a recent radio interview.
Its chief, Christopher Gira Sambang, who said the Youth Wing stood behind Nanta, stressed that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is the constitutional foundation of the nation and not merely political rhetoric.
“Open discussion on MA63 – including by Cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament – is part of the responsibility to ensure that this agreement is understood, respected and fulfilled,” he said in a statement today.
Gira, who is Tamin state assemblyman, said Nanta’s comments should be viewed within the spirit of MA63, which he described as being rooted in partnership, mutual respect, and federal-state autonomy rather than political uniformity.
He said the minister’s remarks reflected concern for national unity and should not be interpreted as a rejection of Malaysia or government policy.
Gira also warned against narrow interpretations that discourage open and honest discourse on MA63, noting that the agreement is embedded in the Federal Constitution.
“Discussing MA63 publicly is not a breach of discipline but an effort to strengthen constitutional understanding and relations among the founding regions of Malaysia,” he said.
Gira added that if Malaysia aspires to progress as a fair and mature federation, Sarawak’s voice on MA63 must not be silenced under the guise of convention, particularly when the issues involve the rights, status and future of the founding states.
“Affirming MA63 is not a threat to unity; ignoring it is what weakens Malaysia. True unity exists only when the founding agreement is respected and fully implemented,” he said.
