Ministry to discuss proposal for study on public understanding of MA63

KUALA LUMPUR: The Communications Ministry is contemplating a study aimed at gauging public understanding of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the awareness of Sabah and Sarawak's rights, according to Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching. The ministry recognizes that understanding the agreement and recognizing the rights it guarantees are two distinct matters.

Isnaraissah Munirah Majlis (Warisan-Kota Belud) has proposed the idea in the Dewan Rakyat. Currently, the ministry has not executed a study to examine public comprehension of MA63 and the formation of Malaysia. Teo plans to present the proposal to the ministry and the Information Department for further discussion. Isnaraissah had called for a baseline study to evaluate how well Malaysians, especially those in Peninsular Malaysia, comprehend Sabah and Sarawak's rights under MA63.

Such a study would assist the government in devising more efficient methods to raise public awareness of the agreement. As some Malaysians still misunderstand Sabah and Sarawak's demands for their rights, which are occasionally portrayed as threats to national interests, Teo emphasized the importance of public understanding. The Information Department has been actively engaged in digital outreach, posting 115 social media updates, 21 of which presented creative content related to Malaysia's formation and MA63 implementation.

These posts garnered 119,708 views, 13,660 likes, and 17,203 shares as of September 22. However, Teo noted that these figures do not represent a study measuring public understanding of the agreement.