“MA63 is an International Treaty and Trust Deed lodged with the UN Secretary-General. The Batu Sumpah (Oath Stone), a constitutional document in stone in Keningau, also states no religion in Sabah.”

Any move towards setting up the said Ministry, he added, would be further non-compliance on MA63, this time again on the part of the Sarawak Government.

“MA63, and its Annexures, cannot be amended by the Malaysian Parliament or ignored by the Federal Constitution which reigns supreme over the former. That’s what International Treaty and Trust Deed means.”

“MA63, and its Annexures, must be read together with the Federal Constitution, formerly the Malayan Constitution. Religion is a matter in the sultanates only.”

Daniel, who heads the UK-based Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (Bopim), was commenting on a statement by Association of Churches in Sarawak Chairman Bolly Lapok. “In fact, Bolly Lapok was merely agreeing with the announcement by the Supp President on the matter.”

“He may also have been taking off from the fact that the Sarawak Cabinet has an Assistant Minister on Islamic affairs. Two wrongs do not make one right.”

Instead of dwelling on matters not covered by the basis on which Sabah and Sarawak came together with the peninsula in 1963 for Federation, argued Jambun, the focus should be on the legal and constitutional position of Sabah and Sarawak in their relations with the Malayan Government, now known as the Federal Government. “This is what the governments of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaysia should focus on before the 14th General Election in 2018.”

Instead, he lamented, the Sarawak Government was rushing into autonomy talks with Putrajaya. “Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is not on the same page as Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem on autonomy. Adenan wants the Federal Government to confine itself in Borneo to defence, internal security, and foreign affairs.”

Najib, he recalled, had explained autonomy as devolution in administrative affairs, to avoid duplication of government machinery at the Federal and state levels in Sabah and Sarawak. “The Prime Minister was merely talking about handing over the control of certain Federal Departments in Sabah and Sarawak to the control of locals or the respective state governments.”

Again, he reiterated, the focus should be on the legal and constitutional position of Sabah and Sarawak in their relations with Malaysia and not on ensuring further non-compliance on MA63 by rushing into religious matters as an instrument of state policy.