On the 29th of November, the Malaysian state of Sabah will hold its state election. But this local contest is high stakes for the ruling government, as Sabah and its neighbouring state, Sarawak, push for more autonomy and funds, granted by Malaysia’s founding document, the Malaysia Agreement, or MA63. Sabah and Sarawak have long complained that though they provide much of Malaysia's oil wealth, developmental funds have not been equitable. Instead, East Malaysians feel they are treated as the "poor cousins" of Peninsula Malaysia. But since the 2022 general election, these two states now hold more leverage. Sabah and Sarawak parties are key components of Prime Minister Anwar's coalition Madani government. The Madani government has resolved some of the disagreements around MA63 on issues like education and public utilities and is working to settle others. But some matters, like oil-revenue sharing, continue to be sticking points. How will the Prime Minister Anwar accommodate the increasingly assertive demands of East Malaysian nationalist parties? 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Underdevelopment in Sabah and Sarawak 06:12 MA63's role in Sabah and Sarawak's identity 08:25 What the Malaysia Agreement promised East Malaysia 11:09 1976 amendment: Erosion of East Malaysia’s status 14:22 Why East Malaysia needs more development funds 18:59 Who shares in Malaysia’s oil wealth? 22:29 Calls to restore the original Malaysia Agreement 25:41 Political shifts boost East Malaysia’s clout 28:33 Sabah and Sarawak’s push for “equal partnership” 33:46 Should East Malaysia have more seats in parliament? 35:14 Sarawak's grievances 37:27 Importance of Sabah’s local election 40:24 Can the current government resolve MA63 disagreements? 43:15 On Sabah’s 40% revenue rebate ========= ABOUT THE SHOW: Insight investigates and analyses topical issues that impact Asia and the rest of the world. ================== #CNAInsider #CNAInsight #Malaysia #Sabah #Sarawak #StateElection #AnwarIbrahim For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER! Follow CNA INSIDER on: Telegram: Instagram: Facebook: Website: