Autonomy in Sarawak and Sabah: Different Paths and Diverging Outcomes

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The formation of Malaysia in 1963, governed by the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63), was a defining moment for Sabah and Sarawak. Despite joining the larger component of Peninsular Malaysia, MA63 was designed to: safeguard the rights and autonomy of the two Borneo states; ensure their distinct cultural identities and; grant them more self-governance than that enjoyed by other states in the federation. However, as federal centralization efforts intensified over time, many of these safeguards were gradually eroded.

Despite initial similarities, Sabah and Sarawak have taken very different paths in asserting their autonomy. Sarawak, with its deep-rooted history of self-governance and strong leadership, has skillfully navigated federal relations and maintained a significant degree of autonomy. The dominance of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), a coalition consisting of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), has played a crucial role. GPS controls seventy-nine out of the eighty-two seats in the state legislative assembly, ensuring its dominance in local politics and giving it significant leverage to strengthen Sarawak’s autonomy. This political stability, combined with strong leadership, allowed Sarawak to preserve its multi-religious and multicultural identity, resist Malay-Muslim dominance from Peninsular Malaysia, and pursue economic development through a pragmatic approach to federal-state relations.

In contrast, Sabah’s political landscape has been more fragmented, with its leaders often aligning with federal policies. Over time, this has weakened the state’s ability to assert its autonomy. The current ruling coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), controls forty-two out of seventy-three seats in the state legislative assembly. However, the presence of challengers such as the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) with thirteen seats and Parti Warisan (Warisan) with fourteen seats has diluted GRS’s political control, making it more difficult for Sabah to exert influence in negotiations over its autonomy.

The MA63 granted Sarawak and Sabah extensive powers in areas such as finance, legislation, immigration, and judiciary—far more than was afforded to the eleven states in Peninsular Malaysia. However, leaders from both states argue that they have been shortchanged due to the centralization of federal power. One major grievance is the downgrading of their status as “equal partners” to mere states following a constitutional amendment in 1976.