Malaysia’s ‘quasi-federation’ needs reform to honour MA63 spirit, share power equitably

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Oct 8: Malaysia’s federal system must evolve to better embody the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), particularly by ensuring a more equitable distribution of power between the federal and state governments.

In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report, constitutional expert Prof Dr Andrew Harding emphasised that although Malaysia stands as the only East Asian nation practising federalism, its governance structure continues to exhibit strong centralised tendencies.

He described the current system as a “quasi-federation”, where the division of powers between federal and state authorities remains ambiguous and inconsistently enforced.

“Malaysian federalism has undergone a process of centralisation for more than a century, even though the Federal Constitution outlines separate and concurrent powers for the states,” he explained during a lecture titled “Sarawak Legal History and the Malaysia Agreement 1963”, held on Tuesday (Oct 7) as part of The International Talk Series 2025.

He noted that MA63 should serve as the cornerstone of a more balanced federal framework, one that genuinely recognises state rights in areas such as immigration control, natural resource management, and parliamentary representation.

However, Harding pointed out that much work remains in translating these principles into effective governance.

He also underlined the importance of pursuing MA63’s full implementation constructively within the bounds of the Constitution and guided by the principles of cooperative federalism.

“Local knowledge is key to effective governance. Sarawak has a strong foundation to advocate for greater autonomy within the constitutional framework,” he added.

The session provided a meaningful platform for academics and policymakers to deliberate on the future of Malaysian federalism, envisioning a model that is more inclusive, balanced, and responsive to the aspirations of states and regions like Sarawak. — DayakDaily

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