KUCHING: In a press statement yesterday, State Reform Party (STAR) president Lina Soo (pic) was shocked to read the latest statement by Law Minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong that a Special Cabinet Committee would be set up in response to Mahathir’s call to revive the MA63 Agreement.
According to Soo, Liew has no authority to deal with MA63 which is an International Treaty registered with the United Nations.
“The Law Minister with his Special Cabinet Committee cannot deal in an international multi-lateral affair which requires the participation of the governments of Britain, Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore,” she pointed.
“MA63 was negotiated, signed and sealed on the 9th July 1963, but never delivered. The Treaty has remained on the shelf comatose for 55 years.
“A review cannot be done without all signatory nations – Britain, Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore – going back to the negotiating table. To revive it by just setting up another committee is aimless and fruitless without the political will of the signatory nations.
“The present Federal government only needs to comply with MA63 without the need to revive, discuss, review or rectify. To suggest the need to do so is to hoodwink the people of Sarawak and Sabah and make a mockery of an international multilateral treaty.
“A dead document will not come alive again merely by setting up a Special Committee to sugar coat it. Trying to resurrect a defunct agreement of multiple breaches even a million times will not bring the kiss of life back to an invalid Treaty,” Soo explained.
She asked Datuk Liew whether MA63 was still valid.
“If it is still valid, all that the Federal government needs to do is to comply with everything laid down in the Agreement. There is no need for further discussion, review and rectification.
“On the other hand, if MA63 is no longer valid or important, there is no need to try to resurrect a defunct Agreement, other than to dissolve it,” stressed Lina.
