KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, asserts that appeals to respect the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in Sabah and Sarawak should not be hastily labeled as separatist actions.
As reported by FMT, Salleh highlighted that the efforts to respect MA63 by both states should be understood in the context of Malaysia’s historical federation origins.
He noted that Sabah and Sarawak’s concerns encompassed constitutional protections, regional participation, equitable resource distribution, and governmental self-determination, extending well beyond mere identity considerations.
“Not every regional initiative pursues independence. Numerous movements advocate for enhanced participation, budgetary independence, or expanded authority over regional assets,” he stated through a Facebook message today regarding the expansion of regionalism in international affairs.
Salleh referenced global precedents, such as Quebec and Alberta in Canada, Catalonia in Spain, Scotland in the United Kingdom, and Greenland, to demonstrate how regional movements might develop from varied governmental, fiscal, and cultural foundations.
He explained that such movements might originate from unique cultural traditions, fiscal dissatisfaction, governmental marginalization, historical disagreements, or the consequences of imperial governance.
While certain movements pursued self-governance, he noted, others concentrated on expanded autonomy, resource stewardship, or heightened regional participation in current governmental frameworks.
“A prosperous nation achieves equilibrium between cohesion and the freedoms and aspirations of its constituent areas,” he said.
