KOTA KINABALU: Indigenous leader Dato’ Petinggi Andrew Ambrose Atama Katama has accused the Malaysian government of failing to uphold the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and violating the rights of indigenous peoples in Sabah and Sarawak.
Speaking on behalf of Defenders of Ancestral Lands Sabah (Mopot), Atama condemned decades of unfulfilled promises, including equitable revenue-sharing, land rights, and political representation.
He highlighted that Sabah and Sarawak continue to suffer high poverty rates, 25.3pc and 12.9pc respectively, despite being resource-rich.
“The federal government has sidelined East Malaysia, eroding our constitutional rights and violating international commitments under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” he said.
Atama also criticised the misuse of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which he claims has been manipulated to favour Peninsular Malay interests at the expense of Bornean natives.
Ahead of Malaysia’s 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations, Mopot is calling for international scrutiny, demanding answers on land rights, revenue distribution, and access to basic services for indigenous communities.
“Without restoring MA63 and indigenous rights, Malaysia’s development claims remain a facade,” Atama said.
