All MA63 Provisions Must Be Fulfilled for National Unity, Says Academic
Observing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)
KUCHING (June 14): Every single provision stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be observed and fulfilled to uphold national unity, emphasized Dr. Muzaffar Syah Mallow. The Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia’s Faculty of Syariah and Law associate professor stressed the importance of ensuring that all Malaysians respect and protect the agreement signed 60 years ago to form Malaysia.
Respect for the Federal Constitution
Dr. Muzaffar stated, “We must also respect our Federal Constitution. All the rights stipulated under the Federal Constitution must be honored, including by states, regions, and territories.” He underscored that every state, region, and territory must be aware of their powers and limits as provided by the Federal Constitution. Disputes between states, regions, and territories should be resolved amicably, setting aside personal interests and political differences.
The Formation of Malaysia
He highlighted that Malaysia was formally established on September 16, 1963, when the Federation of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak agreed to form the country. He noted that Singapore was initially part of Malaysia but separated in 1965 due to unavoidable events, and Brunei decided not to join the federation. This led to the current Malaysia, consisting of 11 states, two regions, and three federal territories.
Celebrating Malaysia Day
According to Dr. Muzaffar, the declaration of the new federation called ‘Malaysia’ was initially planned for August 31, 1963, to coincide with the sixth Independence Day of the Federation of Malaya. However, due to several unavoidable issues, the declaration was postponed until September 16 of the same year. He explained, “Until today, we celebrate September 16 as ‘Malaysia Day,’ and beginning in 2010, the day has been declared a public holiday to honor and remember the efforts of past leaders in forming Malaysia.”
Importance of Malaysia’s Formation
Dr. Muzaffar pointed out that the formation of Malaysia was crucial to stop the spread of communism, which was widespread in Southeast Asia during the 1950s and 1960s. However, he opined that the most important reason for Malaysia’s formation was to create a bigger, stronger, and united country to face global challenges.
“By forming Malaysia, all small states could come together, live together, work together, and help each other harmoniously as one big family. Due to these reasons, Malaysia is still relevant and will stay relevant until the end of time. There is no reason for any state or region to break away from Malaysia,” he asserted.
Unity and Mutual Respect
Dr. Muzaffar emphasized the importance of mutual respect and tolerance in maintaining racial harmony and ensuring social progress in Malaysia, a multiracial country. “Without mutual respect and tolerance, Malaysia will certainly be heading towards destruction. It is very important for us to set aside differences and work together to ensure the progress of the country,” he concluded.
