KUCHING: Matters related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) should not be brought to court if they can be resolved through discussions at the highest levels of leadership, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said amicable negotiations remain the preferred approach, stressing that the courts should only be involved if such talks fail — and even then, not to dispute, but to seek legal interpretation.
“There are two options: if the matter cannot be settled at the top leadership level, the final option is to bring it to court—not to challenge, but to seek constitutional and legal interpretation.
“This includes matters involving PETROS and Petronas, specifically regarding who holds authority over the control and management of gas,” he said.
He said this during the Bual Bicara Eksekutif segment in conjunction with the Jiwa Komuniti MADANI dan Media programme held today (Apr 13).
Speaking on progress related to MA63, he said that 13 issues have been resolved—nine under the current Unity Government and four under the previous administration.
However, he said eight more issues are still awaiting resolution at the highest level.
“These include five critical matters such as the number of parliamentary seats, Sabah’s claim for 40% of revenue collected, oil royalty issues, and the formula for development fund distribution under Article 122D of the Federal Constitution.
“These are among the unresolved issues, but I’m confident that we will continue our efforts to assert our rights based on the existing constitutional and legal framework,” he added.
