KUALA LUMPUR: National interests must take precedence over state rights, and any education system that seeks recognition in Malaysia must accept the use of the Malay language and Malaysia’s history, king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar told parliamentarians on Monday (Jan 19).

In a wide-ranging speech at the opening of the fifth session of the 15th Parliament, the king alluded to topics that have generated controversy in recent months and slammed corruption in the military and public service.

He called on members of parliament to avoid inciting tensions among different regions in the country, stressing that differences in opinion should be resolved maturely and not through hatred or suspicion.

On the “collective interests of Malaysians”, he said Malaysia should return to the original intent of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) – which forms the basis of the Federation of Malaysia – emphasising unity, mutual respect and close cooperation between the states and the federal government.

“State rights must always be respected. However, the interests of Malaysia as a whole must always be prioritised,” Sultan Ibrahim said.

His remarks come amid a push by the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak for greater autonomy.

Last year, the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruled that the Malaysian federal government had acted unlawfully by failing to fulfil Sabah’s right to 40 per cent of federal revenue derived from the state for nearly 50 years.

The court also ordered an agreement be reached on Sabah’s 40 per cent share of federal revenue for each financial year from 1974 to 2021, with the process to be completed within 180 days.

Sarawak, meanwhile, is in a dispute with national energy company Petronas over more control of its oil and gas assets. Petronas filed an application at the Federal Court earlier this month, to seek a determination on the legal position of its operations in Sarawak.