Who Represents the Federation of Malaya?

KOTA KINABALU - “As the dust settles down on the setting up of the Steering, Technical and Working Committees to review MA63, more questions are being thrown up,” said Edward Linggu, a key speaker for the United Borneo Front (UBF) on MA63 during their Borneo Tea Parties.

Edward, who was former PBS Tamparuli Assemblyman and current Deputy President of Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku, was delighted that MA63 is now mainstream news and up for review compared to his early UBF days and tracked by the Special Branch since 2010.

According to Edward, the setting-up of the 3 Committees is good and presents a golden opportunity to resolve the long outstanding issues pertaining to the formation of Malaysia and the rights and special privileges accorded to Sabah and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaysia.

“However, it will not be surprising if the 3 Committees face a long and rocky road with many bumps ahead.  As has been raised, will the Committees be reviewing MA63 itself or the Rights of Sabah and Sarawak under the Federal Constitution?” added Edward.

“The first tricky question for the Committees is who will be representing the Government of the Federation of Malaya?”

This is more so since Article VIII of the MA63 specifically spells out that the Governments of the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak are to act and implement the assurances, undertakings and recommendations therein.

In the 16-member Steering Committee headed by the Honourable Prime Minister will have 8 Federal Ministers, one of which is from Sarawak, the Chief Ministers and State Attorney-Generals of Sabah and Sarawak, the Chief Secretary and the Federal Attorney-General and a constitutional law professor.

Meanwhile the Technical Committee is to be headed by the Law Minister, who is from Sabah, and said to comprise all the 31 and 25 Members of Parliament from Sarawak and Sabah respectively and probably none from Malaya.

Interestingly, who will be representing the Government of Malaya in the Steering Committee as there is no Chief Minister of Malaya while Sabah and Sarawak will be represented by their respective Chief Ministers and State AGs?

And will all the 165 Members of Parliament from Malaya be added to the Technical Committee since Sabah and Sarawak will be represented by all their 25 and 31 MPs?