KUCHING, March 16 — The next Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) meeting is expected to take place in May, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said that discussions on various outstanding MA63 matters are still ongoing.
“Many issues are still being deliberated. Some have been (fully) agreed upon, some partially, while others have yet to reach a consensus.
“These matters will have to be brought to the highest-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister with the participation of the Sarawak Premier and Sabah Chief Minister, inshallah in May,” he told reporters.
Fadillah was responding to a question on whether there are still MA63 claims yet to be discussed after officiating the closing ceremony of Kem Ihya Ramadan 2025 at the Institut Kemahiran Islam Malaysia Sarawak (Ikmas) in Telaga Air today.
He further clarified that the issues in question are not matters of disagreement but rather matters yet to be resolved.
“It’s not about being disagreed upon, but rather not yet agreed upon. There’s a difference. Some matters require legal interpretation, such as the allocation of one-third of parliamentary seats to Sabah and Sarawak, as well as issues related to the continental shelf.
“These complexities arise due to differing legal interpretations at the federal and state levels, which is why they require decisions at the highest level of national leadership,” he explained.
When asked whether the May meeting would yield a final decision, Fadillah said the discussions would determine the direction moving forward.
“Hopefully, a decision will be reached, but if further negotiations are needed, we will only know once the matter is reported to the consultative council, which will then provide guidance,” he added. — The Borneo Post
