Kuala Lampur, Sept. 11 -- SEPTEMBER 11 - As Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg as well as other state leaders gather for the key Malaysian Agreement (MA63) talks at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), I am reminded of the Federation of Malaya Agreements, the first of which is the Agreement of 1948.

The Federation of Malaya Agreement 1948 established the Federation of Malaya consisting of the Malay States and Melaka and Penang. Part III of the Agreement made provisions for the federal executive authority which "shall extend to all matters set out in the first column of the Second Schedule to this Agreement" (Clause 16).

But ...