PKR Sabah wants its chief included in MA63 committee

KOTA KINABALU (June 30): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah has called for its new state liaison chairman, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud to be included in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) technical committee.

Its information chief, Razeef Rakimin in a statement late Saturday said that this was discussed at the PKR Sabah leadership meeting earlier in the day.

Other matters the state leadership agreed on was the formation of a special committee on citizenship issues and they appointed PKR Putatan chief Awang Husaini Sahari as the chairman of the Citizenship Bureau.

The establishment of this bureau is not intended for the naturalization of citizenship but to assist the government through the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Sabah State Government in resolving the longstanding citizenship documentation issues faced by the people of Sabah, Razeef said.

For party activities, PKR Sabah has planned several programs, including its state convention, expected to take place on August 4, 2024.

In efforts to strengthen the party organization, PKR Sabah has appointed seven new members into the state leadership. They are Ahmad Farid Bin Sainuri, Lim Fui Keong, Roger Stimin, Hugo Lean Yung Kwang, Jamir Bin Bajide, Rubiah Binti Onga and Ramlan Bin Naim.

PKR Sabah has also made appointments for several bureaus to strengthen and streamline the party’s organizational activities and it again reiterated its support for the leadership of Datuk Christina Liew to continue leading Pakatan Harapan Sabah as the State chairman.

Meanwhile, Parti Warisan Vice President Terrence Siambun wants the MA63 to be implemented without the inclusion of a committee.

“I share the opinion by our State’s MA63 activists that we do away with the superficial show by those who never showed its commitment to pursue the State’s rights and privileges.

“Lest we forget that PKR Sabah was also the same party that initiated the suit over the 2/5 constitutional entitlement against the then PN-led Federal Government and current GRS-led State Government but eventually withdrew the same which I believe, presumably due to political interests and motives.

“This is also the same Federal Government that downgraded the Sabah/Sarawak Ministry to a mere department,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

“It is amusing to see how PKR Sabah now wants its chief to be included in the MA63 committee when in the first place, they have shown to Sabahans their inconsistency by withdrawing the suit!
“So enough with the talks about the MA63 committee and just implement immediately whatever had been constitutionally agreed to because Sabahans are getting restless and impatient with all these dramas, delays and excuses.

“With the 40 percent entitlement, we can immediately proceed with many beneficial developments and assistance to the Sabahans such as reducing the inflation, providing State’s subsidies to boost the economy, upgrading our schools and healthcare premises and providing clean, treated water.

“Do not delay the implementation and I’d like to remind PKR Sabah that even the president of STAR, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan confirmed it on 2 December 2022 that the president of PKR, Anwar Ibrahim had promised to implement MA63 without the need for another committee to study the matter,” he concluded.