“MA63 Timeline: Sabah & Sarawak’s Fight for Equal Partnership”
17 January 1962 – The Cobbold Commission was formed to survey whether the peoples of North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak supported forming a new federation called Malaysia.
1 August 1962 – The Cobbold Commission submitted its report, finding mixed support and recommending that North Borneo and Sarawak could enter into a new federation with proper safeguards for local interests.
9 July 1963 – The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) was signed in London as an international treaty between five parties: the United Kingdom, the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore. This agreement set the terms for the creation of a new federation called Malaysia, combining these entities as founding partners-not as states “joining” an existing Malaya.
16 September 1963 – The Federation of Malaysia was officially established, founded by the United Kingdom, the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore under MA63 as equal parties.
9 August 1965 – Singapore left the Federation of Malaysia and became an independent republic, changing the original structure set out in MA63.
9 May 2018 – Pakatan Harapan won Malaysia’s general election and pledged to review and restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners under MA63.
17 December 2018 – The first meeting of the MA63 Special Cabinet Committee was held to begin reviewing issues related to Sabah and Sarawak's autonomy.
23 July 2019 – A Special Cabinet Committee meeting resolved seven out of 21 MA63-related issues, leaving 14 for further discussion.
14 December 2021 – Malaysia’s Parliament unanimously passed a constitutional amendment recognising MA63 in Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution, reaffirming the founding status of Sabah and Sarawak.
11 February 2022 – The constitutional amendment restoring the equal partner status of Sabah and Sarawak officially came into effect.
15 February 2022 – Sarawak formally changed its head of government title from “Chief Minister” to “Premier” as recognition of its equal partner status under MA63.
15 March 2022 – A group of Sarawakians filed a legal challenge in the Kuching High Court seeking to declare MA63 null and void.
April 2022 – The Sarawak government applied to strike out the lawsuit, arguing the court had no jurisdiction over the international treaty.
25 May 2023 – The Kuching High Court dismissed the suit and affirmed that the Federal Constitution remains the supreme law, with MA63 forming part of its foundation.
16 March 2025 – Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof announced that the MA63 Implementation Council will finalise matters on parliamentary seat quotas and the continental shelf in May.
References:
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Agreement • https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Cobbold_Commission • https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/malaysia-agreement-1963-treatys-legal-standing-breaches-roger-chin-gdmrc • https://says.com/my/lifestyle/formation-of-malaysia-old-photos-malaysia-agreement-1963 • https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/unts/volume%20750/volume-750-i-10760-english.pdf • https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=7fdd00ed-603e-47e0-8e08-f6499d385404 • https://www.rsnborneo.com/2024/11/the-malaysia-agreement-1963.html