KOTA KINABALU, Nov 26 ― A suggestion to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to revisit the terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 resonated well with Sabahans who turned up last night for a Negara-Ku talk featuring its patron Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

The renowned lawyer and activist had to deliver her talk via video call as she was banned earlier from entering the east Malaysian state, but was given the full attention of the over 100 in attendance who appeared supportive of her suggestion.

Ambiga said reviewing the agreement would be the only way to quell the growing discontent felt by Sabah natives over their perceived marginalisation by Putrajaya and address their demands.

“An RCI into the Malaysia Agreement 1963 is vital, as it seems everybody is keen to revisit it.

“They can look into the spirit of the intent of the agreement when people came together to form Malaysia,” she said to cheers of agreement from the crowd who flocked to the low-key event despite Ambiga not being present.

“The answer to the dissatisfaction is the RCI. People want to know whether it has been adhered to by all parties,” she said.

Although it was not publicised, the talk also attracted a number of lawyers, opposition members, activists and citizens who came to hear the speakers, despite it being a weekday night.

The forum also saw human rights activist Tan Sri Simon Sipaun, politician Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan and Negara-Ku chairman Zaid Kamaruddin speaking.

Despite being in a cramped venue, the attendees stayed on and sat on the floor, and seemed responsive to the speakers of the event, with several injections of “changing the government” and calls for autonomy.

When the forum was opened to questions, one participant asked if the Malaysia Agreement was still valid given that one of its signatories, Singapore, had pulled out of Malaysia and that there was no escape clause to the agreement.

Replying, Ambiga said more studies would have to be done to be sure whether or not the agreement, along with the original intent of Malaysia’s founding fathers, had been breached.

The RCI, she said, could achieve this.

Jeffrey, a long-time advocate of the review of the Malaysia Agreement, also said that Sabahans have had their rights trampled on for too long..

He had previously called on Sabah State Legislative Assembly speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak to work with Putrajaya to establish a “Malaysia Review Committee” to discuss the problems under the 1963 Sabah Agreement and address the grouses of the people.

Earlier, the audience gave Ambiga their rapt attention as she spoke on the divisive politics in Malaysia and the direction Malaysian politics has taken.

She also urged Sabahans to reach out to their grassroots to talk about issues and educate themselves and question their leaders when they feel their rights being violated.

Many also nodded along in agreement and laughed to Sipaun’s address earlier when he said that many west Malaysians were still ignorant of their neighbours in Sabah and Sarawak.

He also related his experiences of being “welcomed to Malaysia” when he travelled to Kuala Lumpur.

“Looking at our past ― we don’t have much in common with Peninsula Malaysia. There is also the geographical factor and the ignorance.

“These are all potential dividing factors and we need a leadership that practices good governance and is inclusive to everyone. Not just giving assistance to those based on race or religion,” he said to applause from the crowd.

“Level-headed and peace-loving Malaysians should not allow the minority of certain Malay rights groups who make racists and bigoted comments to rule. We must all play a role in making our voices heard,” he said.

Sabahans have been demanding for years to be regarded as equal partners with the Malay peninsula, claiming that Putrajaya has been marginalising the Borneo state and treating it like a stepchild.

A call for the secession of Sabah has also taken root, with its supporters arguing that the allegedly Malaya-centric federal government has largely disregarded the 1963 agreement, as well as the 20- and 18-point agreements pertaining to the special rights of Sabah and Sarawak, respectively, when Malaysia was formed.