KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim has issued a plea for calm in the escalating dispute over East Malaysian rights, urging leaders to judge the Madani government on its “unmatched” delivery of MA63 promises rather than on the divisive Petronas court action.
He backed his call with data, pointing out that of 29 key Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) items, 13 have now been completed, with nine of those delivered under the current administration.
“That is not rhetoric. That is progress. This government has done more on MA63 than many before it,” Hassan said, dismissing claims that Putrajaya was deliberately stalling on East Malaysian demands.
His plea comes as rising political tensions over Petronas’s recent court action have fuelled a “trust deficit” and led to confrontational rhetoric.
He pointed to recent remarks by a senior Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leader, who was quoted as saying, “If you don’t like us, then divorce us,” as an example of genuine but dangerous frustration.
“When the narrative shifts towards confrontation or separation, we risk destabilising the federation,” Hassan warned.
He argued that while the court proceedings have heightened emotions, they should not be used as a proxy for judging the government’s intentions.
“Whatever the court decides, trust will not be restored through legal outcomes alone. Only sincere political engagement can do that,” he said.
Hassan cautioned that repeated political attacks on the prime minister over the Petronas case risk eroding the goodwill needed to resolve the remaining issues.
“Cornering the prime minister or accusing the government of bad faith only deepens mistrust. It does not advance state rights,” he said.
He called for calm and transparency while the legal process unfolds, proposing that bipartisan parliamentary mechanisms be used to ensure the issue is treated as a national matter, not a partisan one.
