Make MA63, Cobbold and IGC Reports Mandatory in all School Library - Ewon

27 January 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: Penampang Member of Parliament Datuk Ewon Benedick has proposed that key documents related to the formation of the nation, namely the Cobbold Commission Report, the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), be made mandatory reference books in all school libraries nationwide.

He said the proposal is in line with the Royal Address of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which called on the people to return to the original intent behind the formation of Malaysia, namely unity, mutual respect and close cooperation between the State Governments and the Federal Government.

“In line with the Royal Address, Penampang proposes that the syllabuses for History and General Studies in schools be revised to include more content on the formation of Malaysia, based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the agreed terms and conditions for Sabah and Sarawak.

“This includes making documents such as the Cobbold Commission Report, the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 mandatory books in all school libraries nationwide, so that students can gain a better understanding of the constitutional documents of our country,” he said.

He made these remarks while speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address at the parliamentary sitting here today.

Ewon said early exposure to these historical documents would help foster a spirit of unity, mutual respect and cooperation among Malaysians in later life, particularly among those who would go on to join the public service.

He also expressed appreciation for the efforts undertaken to ensure that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 is implemented in accordance with its original spirit, including the resolution of 13 matters to date.

However, he noted that there are two major issues that still need to be addressed, namely Article 112C concerning Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement, and the allocation of not less than one-third of the seats in the Dewan Rakyat to Sabah and Sarawak.

On education, Ewon voiced his full support for the Royal Address on Bahasa Melayu as the foundation of the national education system.

At the same time, he said the teaching of mother tongue languages should also be introduced in schools, particularly where there is demand from local parents.

He also sought an update on the expansion of mother tongue language syllabuses such as Kadazandusun, including the Kadazan Tangaa, Tatana, Murut Timogun and Dusun Lotud languages, as well as Orang Asli languages, and the level of recognition and readiness of the Ministry of Education to implement these proposals.