SUPP to push for MA63 report be made public

KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) assistant treasurer Senator Robert Lau said he will push for the final report of the MA63 Cabinet Special Committee to be made public. “It may be that the time is not right or convenient to publish the report now as it is understood that some issues have not been agreed upon or finalised between the parties.

“If that is the situation, then it is suggested that a preliminary report in a summarised form be published or made available to MPs. I will raise this issue in the Senate to push for the report to be made public,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He made these remarks in light of the recent view of the federal government that it was not necessary to reveal the report.

According to Lau, the federal government has through Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Hanifah Taib stated the reasons for not making the report public.

However, he said the people of Sarawak and Sabah would like to know the issues and recommendations made at the federal level.

“After all, the Agreement affects the rights of Sarawak and Sabah and all her people,” he added.

Lau said MA63 and the Intergovernmental Committee Report 1962 were public documents and they formed the basis for Sarawak and Sabah to join in the formation of Malaysia 67 years ago.

“It is well known that there are many breaches and erosions of the terms, rights and undertakings of these two documents over the last six decades,” he pointed out.

Because of this, he said the Special Committee was set up to look into the breaches and erosions with the aim of righting the wrongs done.

He said it was therefore only right that the findings and recommendations of the Special Committee be made public.

“If there are matters that concern security or a threat to the stability of the nation and well-being of her people then it is understandable why it should be kept as secret. With the exceptions of these items the report should be made public,” he added.