KOTA KINABALU: The Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STARSabah) is resolute in its intention to take the matter of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) demands to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a final measure, should they not be executed ‘in full’ or completely.
STARSabah President, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, stated that it is time for the Federal Government to fully implement all MA63 demands after 63 years of being part of Malaysia.
“This is the new narrative of our struggle. We want the Federal government to fulfill the MA63 demands entirely… we have been independent for 63 years, yet many aspects of MA63 remain unresolved.
“In any agreement, if it is not fully executed, the agreement itself becomes void. Therefore, if MA63 is not fully implemented, we will take this issue to the ICJ,” he said.
Jeffrey made these remarks during the 10th Anniversary Celebration of STARSabah here on Saturday night.
Also present were Deputy President Datuk Kenny Chua, Acting Deputy President Datuk Lawrence Gimbang, Datuk Mohd Ishak Ayub, and STARSabah Secretary-General Senator Datuk Edward Linggu.
Jeffrey also reflected on the history of the formation of Malaysia, where Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federation of Malaya were established as equal partners under MA63.
“The people of Sabah should be aware of this history. Under MA63, our status is equal to that of Sarawak and the Federation of Malaya.
“We in STARSabah will continue to fight to uphold this equal status,” he stated.
Jeffrey also urged the Federal Government to fully implement the rights of the Sabah region as outlined in the Federal Constitution, including the allocation of 40 percent of federal revenue to Sabah.
Regarding the political future of STARSabah, Jeffrey, who is also the Tambunan assemblyman and the Member of Parliament for Keningau, stated that the less-than-encouraging results in the recent state election (PRN) did not dampen the party’s spirit to continue fighting for the people and the state of Sabah.
“Our struggle is not over. Our mission is to see Sabah progress, prosper, and independent.
“Some (of our party leaders) are patient, while others are not… this is normal in politics. In politics, there are times we are down and times we rise.
“Let’s leave the past PRN episode behind and move forward. Let’s enhance our efforts to strengthen the party at all levels and prepare for the upcoming general election,” he said.
Jeffrey also emphasized the importance of local Sabah parties uniting for the good and future of the state.
“We want local parties to be united in advocating for the rights and interests of the people of Sabah,” he said.
