KUCHING, Dec 4: The correct history on the formation of Malaysia including Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be included in History textbooks used in schools, stressed Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing
Disappointed that some versions of the textbooks still omit this important historical fact, he said the formation of the nation and related information should be in the textbooks.
“It should be taught as it is. You cannot change history. You cannot rewrite history,” said the Parti Rakyat Sarawak president, who stressed that historical facts on MA63 should be respected.
Masing, who is also chairman of Bakun Charitable Trust Fund, made these remarks to reporters after the signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding between the Fund and Sarawak Energy today.
The issue of MA63 has been in the limelight recently after Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia launched his book “Berpisah Tiada” (Inseparable). The Sabahan had also said that there was no reason to claim Sabah and Sarawak had equal status with Malaya, as all states were equal in Malaysia.
Pandikar even challenged Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg for a debate on MA63 which Abang Johari said was childish and stupid.
Abang Johari, however, said such a debate would not help Sarawak to reclaim its rights, which have been eroded over the years. He vowed to continue to fight for the state’s rights as enshrined under MA63 with proper negotiation with the federal government.
Without attacking Pandikar directly, Masing said that Pandikar could talk about Sabah in the formation of Malaysia, but not to involve Sarawak.
“If (Pandikar) thinks the MA63 is irrelevant in Sabah, that’s his opinion and I won’t argue with him on that.
“If there is no MA63, there is no Malaysia now,” he said, stressing the importance of MA63 to the formation of the federation and that MA 63 is very relevant to Sarawak. — DayakDaily
