GABUNGAN Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has cast doubt on Parti Warisan’s assertion that it successfully implemented 17 of the 21 Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) demands while governing the state between 2018 and 2020.
Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Deputy Secretary-General of GRS, said Warisan has yet to provide an official list, supporting evidence, or approval dates for its claimed achievements.
He stressed that MA63 is a matter of constitutional and historical significance that cannot be leveraged as election rhetoric without factual basis.
“Warisan and its President, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, ‘sold’ the narrative that they had delivered 17 out of 21 MA63 demands while in office, including having three Warisan ministers in the federal Cabinet. Yet, until today, no official documentation or timeline has been provided,” Armizan said in a Facebook video.
The Papar MP stressed that MA63 is too important to be politicised and cautioned against using it as a campaign tool. He also questioned the definition of the “17 demands” allegedly fulfilled, highlighting that policy agreements or discussions cannot be equated with formal implementation.
“Every statement must be honest and responsible. What Shafie and Warisan claim as accomplishments must be backed by official approvals and documented actions. Principle agreements or policy endorsements alone do not constitute completion,” he said.
Armizan highlighted two key examples often cited by Warisan. The first was their claim of restoring Sabah and Sarawak’s status as partners in the federation.
However, the constitutional amendment to Article 1(2) initially failed in Parliament in 2019, only succeeding in December 2021 under the GRS-led state government.
The second claim involved the delegation of deep-sea fishing licensing powers to Sabah. According to Armizan, the authority was only officially returned after 2021, following approval by the Special MA63 Council and the Federal Cabinet, and formalised through the Empowerment Letter presented to Sabah officials.
“Warisan’s narrative that it single-handedly secured these powers is misleading. The facts show the formal handover occurred after their administration, executed under the cooperative framework between the Federal Government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Sabah government led by Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor,” he explained.
Armizan concluded by urging Warisan to provide verifiable evidence for the remaining 15 claimed accomplishments and reminded the public not to be misled by unsubstantiated assertions. “Commitment is measured through tangible actions, approvals, and execution via official instruments, not rhetoric,” he said.
The remarks come as the Sabah political landscape intensifies ahead of the state elections, with MA63 emerging as a focal point of debate among competing parties. - November 24, 2025
