Wrong to take sole credit for MA63 reforms, Warisan told

PETALING JAYA: A DAP Youth leader has hit out at a former political aide for claiming Warisan had laid the groundwork to implement the terms in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Kaven Lee regretted that Ben Mansul had disregarded Pakatan Harapan’s “sweat and tears” in the process.

Lee, who is the wing’s national assistant organising secretary, said that reforms achieved could not be pinned down to a single party.

And while the then law minister Liew Vui Keong was instrumental in pushing for reforms, it would not have been realised without the contribution and commitment of ministers and MPs from PH, Lee said.

He also said the PH government had formed a committee to look into the MA63 agenda within the first 100 days of its administration.

“I wish Warisan did not claim they were the only party that contributed to the MA63 reforms. Selective narrative is unfair to the rest of the parties involved,” he said in a statement.

Lee went on to say that while Liew – who died in 2020 – did not manage to get the MA63 constitutional amendment done due to lack of support from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), a similar amendment was re-tabled by Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar of GPS following an electoral pact between the opposition and Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government a year ago. Warisan chose to forgo the memorandum of understanding.

“The key takeaway is, to fight for any Sabah or Sarawak rights, the people of Sabah and Sarawak cannot rely solely on East Malaysian parties and MPs.

“It has to be a joint effort by all MPs, including our brethren from Peninsular Malaysia.”

Lee said this after Mansul attributed the success of the implementation of the MA63 terms to Warisan president Shafie Apdal who had instructed Liew to initiate efforts in 2018.

Mansul, who was one of Liew’s officers, said the PH government, Warisan-led state government in Sabah and GPS reached a consensus on 17 out of 21 issues in just 17 months. — Free Malaysia Today