He said the matter would take two to three years to complete as it needed to go through many stages including three main committees, namely a steering committee, a technical committee and an implementation action council. It also involves various parties.

Fadillah said the MA63 technical committee chaired by him would first discuss issues related to MA63.

“Once it is decided at the technical level, it will be taken to the implementation action council for final approval before being presented to the Cabinet to make amendments to the related laws.

“So the process is long. We also have to get the Cabinet’s approval before tabling it in Parliament, which requires two-thirds majority support,” he told reporters after appearing as a guest on RTM’s “Naratif Khas Bersama Timbalan Perdana Menteri” programme.

During the programme, Fadillah, who is also plantation and commodities minister, said the one-third parliamentary seat allocation for Sabah and Sarawak was important as it would prevent the peninsula from making constitutional amendments that might eliminate the rights of the two states enshrined in MA63.

He said the return of autonomy over education and health to Sabah and Sarawak was also at the discussion stage.

On the “Sarawak First” slogan, Fadillah said it was created to restore the spirit of the people of Sarawak to build and develop Malaysia together.

Although there were calls for Sarawak to leave Malaysia, he said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak leadership had expressed its commitment that the state would remain a part of the country.