MA63 should have been done in stages, says Wan Junaidi

Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has stated that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) should have been implemented gradually. He believes that although the MA63 is now incorporated into the federal constitution, there is still much more to be done. Hosting the Malaysia Day episode of Keluar Sekejap podcast, Wan Junaidi expressed his frustration with the government’s failure to implement the agreement in stages since 1963, stating that if it had been done, Sabah and Sarawak would have seen development. While acknowledging that the scale of development might not have been equal to the Peninsula, Wan Junaidi believes that the Bornean states would not have been so far behind had the agreement been gradually implemented.

Wan Junaidi points out that the infrastructure needs and population of Sabah and Sarawak differ from those of the Peninsula, making it necessary to implement separate measures. For example, he highlights that building a toll road across the Peninsula would benefit multiple states, whereas in Sarawak, the road would only serve that specific region. Consequently, the lack of government initiatives utilizing state funds and assets has been a significant failure in implementing the promises of MA63.

Wan Junaidi further mentions the special grants given to Sabah and Sarawak, emphasizing that the amount lost over the years could amount to billions. According to Article 112D of the Federal Constitution, reasonable grants are to be provided to the two states, subject to a review every five years. During his tenure as Law Minister, Wan Junaidi recalls that RM186 million was offered to Sabah, and although some claimed that Sabah had agreed to the amount, Sarawak was seeking clarity on the calculation formula. He credits Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for generously offering RM300 million to Sarawak. However, he criticizes the lack of subsequent reviews, highlighting that the grants could now be around a billion Ringgit per year.

In January, Anwar announced that Sarawak would receive RM300 million in special grants and Sabah would receive RM260 million in honor of the MA63 agreement.