By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 9: ‘When you lose your rights, they are lost forever’—English jurist Lord Denning’s words were echoed by political pundit Dato Peter Minos as he lauded Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s firm reminder that Sarawak will never yield on its rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
In a statement, Minos said he remembered Denning’s words during his first year of law studies in London, which have, until now, stayed with him.
“Indeed, we must not yield on our MA63 rights. Why should we? Our early Sarawak leaders fought very hard for those rights. In the early 1960s, they struggled sincerely and honestly, believing that Sarawak would be safe and well-protected under those guarantees.
“They believed that with those rights, Sarawak would grow and develop—socially and economically—and that no power would ever suppress or bully Sarawak, then, now, or in the future,” he said.
He elaborated that Sarawak agreed to form Malaysia in 1963, together with Malaya, Sabah, and—before its departure—Singapore under clearly defined terms and conditions as set out in the MA6), which was signed in good faith, believing it would be for the good of Sarawak.
“That is why we must never yield. We must defend our rights, guard them at all times, and treat MA63 as the paramount foundation upon which Malaysia was created.
“Without MA63, Malaysia would not have come into existence in the first place. To ignore, tamper with, or fail to honour MA63 would endanger the very integrity and unity of Malaysia as a nation. That is how vital MA63 was and still is,” he said. — DayakDaily
