SUPP Youth: MA63 a founding covenant upholding Sarawak’s equal rights in Malaysia

MIRI (Jan 28): Any attempt to interpret the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) selectively or literally undermines its historical intent, said Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Youth Central.

It said that Sarawak’s oil and gas rights could not be casually dismissed simply because MA63 did not spell them out word for word.

“Sarawak’s jurisdiction over its natural resources is anchored in constitutional principles, pre-Malaysia laws and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.

“MA63 is a founding covenant, not an ordinary document, and Sarawak was formed as an equal partner in Malaysia, thus its inherent rights over land and natural resources must be respected,” it said in a statement responding to Minister of Law and Institutional Reform Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said’s recent remarks.

SUPP Youth Central also pointed to the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958, noting that it was enacted before the formation of Malaysia and affirmed that Sarawak constitutionally retains jurisdiction over oil and gas within its territory.

It also questioned the federal government’s consistency in recognising Sarawak’s oil and gas rights, citing continued legal challenges by Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s acknowledgement of Petroleum Sarawak Berhad’s (Petros) role as the state’s gas aggregator.

“Such actions risk undermining the prime minister’s commitment and create doubts among Sarawakians,” it said.

It urged disputes to be resolved through negotiation rather than litigation.

“Sarawakians seek fair resource distribution, constructive cooperation, and long-term stability, not prolonged litigation.”