KUCHING: Senator Robert Lau plans to push for the final report of the Cabinet Special Committee on the implementation of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to be made public by raising the issue in the Senate.
He said the federal government had taken the view that it was not necessary to reveal the aforementioned final report.
“While the federal government through the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) has stated the reasons for not making the report public, the people of Sarawak and Sabah will like to know what the issues and recommendations were made at the federal level.
“After all, the Agreement affects the rights of Sarawak and Sabah and all their people,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Nov 19).
He said MA63 and the Inter-Governmental 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.
“The Special Committee was set up to look into the breaches and erosions with the aim of righting the wrongs done. It is therefore only right that the findings and recommendations of the Special Committee be made public,” he said.
Lau, who is also Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) assistant treasurer, said that if there were matters that concerned security or a threat to the stability of the nation and wellbeing of the people, then it would be understandable as to why the report should be kept secret.
He emphasised that with the exception of these items, the report should be made public.
He said it might not be the right time or convenient to publish the report now as some issues had 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 members of Parliament.
“I will raise this issue in the Senate to push for the report to be made public,” he said.
