By Ashley Sim
KOTA SAMARAHAN, Sept 19: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili, believes that millennials’ perceptions of the historical facts of Malaysia’s formation in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be accurate to avoid sentimental or emotional turmoil.
“Every question answered will not make them (young voters) hesitant to carry out their responsibility as first-time Undi18 voters in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).
“One important point raised by this group is why MA63 focuses solely on Sabah and Sarawak, with little mention of Peninsular Malaysia,” Ongkili said earlier at a press conference following a programme with students from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), titled ‘MA63: From the Perspective of the Millennial Generation’ at Detar Putra Unimas here.
He went on to say that Sabah and Sarawak should be prioritised and that people should contribute to the formation of nationalism itself.
In addition, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) hoped that departments and campuses in Peninsular Malaysia would implement more programmes to encourage interaction.
“Another thing is that I think we can expand the list of outstanding issues that are still being addressed in law, policy, and so forth,” he told reporters.
Ongkili also emphasised that the formation of Malaysia involved three parties, namely Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia), Sabah, and Sarawak, demonstrating solidarity in the country’s development.
Furthermore, he mentioned that issues concerning MA63 are still being discussed within the working committee.
Among these are special grants made possible by the Joint Consultative Committee meeting under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
He noted that discussions have begun, but there has been no final word on the refund review.
The same situation exists in Sabah, according to Ongkili, who also noted that 40 per cent of the issues raised by the Sabah government have not yet been resolved, even though two-thirds of them have been resolved and the arrears have not yet been fully paid.
“However, it is clear that permission for deep sea fishing has been extended to Sarawak under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) and has been annexed or enacted,” he disclosed.
Earlier, Unimas assistant vice chancellor (Leadership and Development) Professor Datu Mohd Fadzil Abd Rahman reminded millennials to understand and be familiar with what MA63 implies.
“Don’t be misled by the incitement; Sabah and Sarawak are not making extreme demands but seeking the rights envisioned in MA63.
“This is because millennials only hear but do not fully comprehend the deal.
“There are many bright people, but only a few are wise. Therefore, all of its agreements must be acknowledged; perhaps they were not ignored, but they have been forgotten for so long,” Fadzli remarked.
The forum panel included Ongkili, Unimas Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Dean Professor Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) senior lecturer for Knowledge and Language Planning Dr Romzi Ationg, and Unimas Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Deputy Dean Dr Arnold Puyok as moderator.
The Oxford Living Dictionaries describes a millennial as a person “born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s”. — DayakDaily
