However, PBS deputy president Maximus Ongkili hoped this announcement would not be just lip service from Mahathir.
“Great that he (Mahathir) has finally woken up to his senses, and has now acknowledged the status of Sabah and Sarawak within the federation, as originally promised by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman and enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This is especially so since he had conveniently ignored this fact during his first-round tenure as Malaysia’s prime minister for 22 years. Hope it’s not just lip service this time,” said Ongkili, who is also the Kota Marudu MP.
He said Sabahans and Sarawakians are now eager to see the Pakatan Harapan federal government’s next course of action, particularly its power devolution plan for the two states.
“The then Barisan Nasional government had already commenced policy and legislative action on this.
“So, what’s PH’s plan of action? We are very anxious to know what’s next,” he said.
PBS, he added, will monitor and continuously check on the PH government to ensure its promise to restore MA63 rights to Sabah and Sarawak is not just another chapter in its “100-day Manifesto”, launched before the May 9 general election, which Ongkili said was now considered as “dead and gone”.
Mahathir, in his Malaysia Day speech last night, had said the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the nation will be restored under the New Malaysia and Pakatan Harapan federal government.
He said it will be done once the review on the MA63 had been completed.
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