Harun's remarks

Press Statement

Art Harun’s Remarks Confirm That MA63 Provided No Safeguards, Strengthening the Case for Sabah’s Independence

The Republic of Sabah North Borneo Government-in-Exile (RSNB-GiE) notes with deep concern the remarks of former Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun (Art Harun), published in The Borneo Post on 26 September 2025, dismissing the claim that Sabah and Sarawak were entitled to one-third of parliamentary seats under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). While some may view his statement as a denial of Borneo’s political rights, RSNB-GiE views it as a significant admission that reinforces what we have long argued: MA63 never provided genuine safeguards and was never a valid international treaty of equal partnership.

Firstly, Art Harun openly admits that no provision exists in MA63, the Malaysia Act 1963, the Inter-Governmental Committee Report, or the Federal Constitution that guarantees Sabah and Sarawak one-third of the parliamentary seats. This is important, because it confirms that MA63 was never designed to safeguard the political autonomy or equal status of the Borneo territories. Instead, it was a framework engineered by Britain and Malaya to justify the transfer of colonial authority to Malaya, which then rebranded itself as “Malaysia” in 1963.

Secondly, historical records demonstrate that the so-called “formation of Malaysia” was not a formation at all, but an enlargement of the Federation of Malaya. The confidential British Commonwealth Office letter of 15 August 1966, and subsequent documents, clearly confirmed that Malaysia was regarded as nothing more than the continuation of Malaya with new territories and a new name. This proves that Sabah and Sarawak were annexed into an enlarged Malaya rather than joining as equal founding partners. The United Nations and the international community were misled into believing in a new federation, when in truth, there was no new political entity created in 1963.

Thirdly, the Manila Accord of 1963 required that the people of North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak must freely decide their future through a proper act of self-determination before Malaysia could be recognised internationally. This requirement was never fulfilled. Instead, Britain and Malaya rushed the process, suppressing international concerns, and a flawed UN mission, whose impartiality has since been questioned by declassified UK diplomatic telegrams, was used to give the appearance of legitimacy. In reality, the process violated the UN Charter, Resolution 1514 (on decolonisation), Resolution 1541 (on association with independent states), and the Statute of Westminster 1931 on treaty-making powers of colonies.

Fourthly, even if one were to accept MA63 as valid, the structural safeguards supposedly promised to Sabah and Sarawak were systematically eroded. The exit of Singapore in 1965 reduced the Borneo bloc’s strength, yet no corrective action was taken to restore the balance. Art Harun’s statement today confirms what RSNB-GiE has consistently argued: there were no enforceable safeguards, not for parliamentary representation, not for autonomy, and not for equality. This exposes the entire arrangement as a colonial deception designed to favour Malaya.

Finally, the current reality speaks for itself: Sabah and Sarawak together hold less than 25% of parliamentary seats. This structural imbalance means that Sabah and Sarawak are permanently at the mercy of Malayan-controlled politics, unable to influence constitutional amendments or defend their interests. The erosion of autonomy, the plunder of resources, demographic manipulation, and the sidelining of our people all stem from this original illegitimacy.

The RSNB-GiE therefore rejects the narrative that Sabah and Sarawak should be satisfied with token debates about seat allocations within Malaya’s Parliament. Our position is clear: we do not seek more seats in Malaya’s Parliament, we seek the restoration of Sabah’s independence and the establishment of our own Parliament in Sabah.

Art Harun’s remarks have inadvertently strengthened our case. By admitting that MA63 never provided binding safeguards, he confirms that Sabah was deceived into an arrangement that failed to uphold the standards of international law and decolonisation. This is why the RSNB-GiE declares MA63 void ab initio and continues to pursue the recognition of Sabah’s independence as a matter of urgent justice and unfinished decolonisation.

Issued by:

Office of the President

Republic of Sabah North Borneo Government-in-Exile (RSNB-GiE)

27 September 2025

Dire Warning to Sabahans and Sarawakians

Dire Warning to Sabahans and Sarawakians:

Steer Clear of Project SAMA, ROSE,  

and Their Malayan Puppet Masters

Sabahans and Sarawakians, heed this urgent call: Project SAMA and ROSE are 

not your allies. 

These organizations, cloaked in the deceptive garb of reform and democracy, are nothing but instruments of Malayan domination, orchestrated by 

their puppet master, BERSIH. 

For too long, the people of Sabah and Sarawak have been subjected to the insidious machinations of Malaya, and these groups are the latest weapons in a year-long campaign to keep us as subservient  colonies. 

Their agenda is clear: to deny Sabah and Sarawak the rightful 35% of 

parliamentary seats that would grant us true power and autonomy. Do not be 

fooled by their polished rhetoric or their NGO status. These are wolves in sheep’s 

clothing, and they pose a clear and present danger to the future of our beloved Borneo states. 

The so-called “democracy” these organizations champion is a sham, a carefully crafted illusion designed to perpetuate Malayan colonial rule over Sabah and  Sarawak. 

BERSIH, the mastermind behind Project SAMA and ROSE, has mounted a relentless campaign to undermine the Malaysia Agreement 1963 

(MA63), the very foundation of our rights as equal partners in the federation. Their 

tactics are as cunning as they are treacherous. 

They dangle the promise of “one-

man, one-vote” fairness while simultaneously pushing for Sabah and Sarawak to settle for a measly one-third of the seats in the Dewan Negara, the Senate. 

This is no compromise—it is a deliberate Malayan trick to strip us of real power in the Dewan Rakyat, where true legislative authority lies. By relegating us to a token 

presence in the Senate, they ensure that Malaya retains its iron grip on the federal 

government, leaving Sabah and Sarawak as powerless appendages of a 

Peninsula-centric regime. 

Let us be unequivocal: any organization that does not unequivocally support 

Sabah and Sarawak’s rightful claim to 35% of parliamentary seats is an enemy of our people. 

This is not a matter of negotiation or debate—it is a matter of justice, of honouring the sacred promises made before the formation of Malaysia. 

Project SAMA and ROSE, despite their claims of advocating for fairness, plot to keep us subjugated. 

Their refusal to back 35% representation in Dewan Rakyat exposes their true colours. They are not here to uplift Sabah and Sarawak; they are here to 

ensure we remain colonies, stripped of influence and chained to Malayan 

interests. 

Most disgraceful of all is the role of ROSE, a Kuching-based organization 

that has betrayed its own people. ROSE, led by misguided Sarawakians, has 

become a willing accomplice in BERSIH’s schemes, acting as a comprador for Malayan interests. Their betrayal cuts deep, selling out Sarawak’s future for a 

pat on the back from their Malayan overlords. They received direct funding from Malaya for their work. 

A glaring example of their duplicity occurred on 21 Sept, when 

ROSE organised for Professor Andrew Harding to speak in Kuching. What should have been an opportunity for open dialogue was instead a carefully controlled farce. 

Sarawakian participants were silenced, their questions censored. Simple, 

critical inquiries—such as “Is MA63 valid?” and “Can Sarawak leave the Malaysian federation?”—were blocked 

outright. This is not democracy; this is suppression masquerading as discourse. 

The fact that ROSE and its allies refuse to engage with these fundamental questions reveals their true allegiance: they are agents of Malaya. 

Read: 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16Jndmgvxy/

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Fqj7Uz9gb/

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15bkd2So4Z/

Make no mistake—ROSE is the classic “running dogs” of Malayan colonialism, 

cloaking their treachery in the language of reform and equality. Their talk of “one-

man, one-vote” is a hollow slogan, a distraction from their real goal: to maintain the status quo where Malaya reigns supreme.

 If they were truly committed to the spirit of MA63 and the empowerment of Sabah and Sarawak, they would be fighting tooth and nail for our 35% parliamentary representation. Instead, they offer crumbs in the form of Senate seats, hoping we will be naive enough to accept this insult as progress. 

We are not so easily deceived. They are a clear and present danger to our sovereignty, our identity, and our future. We must reject their influence and rally together to demand what is rightfully ours: 35% of parliamentary seats. 

To every Sabahan and Sarawakian reading this: stand firm, stay vigilant, and do not fall for the honeyed words of these Malayan puppets. Project SAMA and ROSE may operate under the guise of local advocacy, but their loyalty lies 

with BERSIH and the Malayan elite. 

They are not here to liberate us; they are 

here to chain us. Let us unite in defiance of their betrayal and fight for the 

full restoration of our rights under MA63. 

The future of Sabah and Sarawak 

depends on it. We will not be silenced, we will not be sidelined, and we will not be 

colonies any longer. 

Issued by: 

The Real Patriots of Sabah and Sarawak