18-point agreement

Islam is the official religion of the federation while Sarawak should not have any official religion. The Federal Constitution cannot be applied in Sarawak. [4]

Malay should be the national language of the Federation. English should be used for a period of 10 years after Malaysia Independence Day. [5]

Whilst accepting that the present Constitution of the Federation of Malaya should form the basis of the Constitution of Malaysia, the Constitution of Malaysia should be a completely new document drafted. A new Constitution for Sarawak was of course essential. [6]

The Head of State in Sarawak should not be eligible for election as Head of the Federation. [7]

Name of Federation is "Malaysia", not "Melayu Raya". [8]

Control over immigration into any part of Malaysia from outside should rest with the Central Government but entry into Sarawak should also require the approval of the State Government. The Federal Government should not be able to veto the entry of persons into Sarawak for State Government purposes except on strictly security grounds. Sarawak should have unfettered control over the movements of persons other than those in Federal Government employ from other parts of Malaysia into Sarawak. [9]

Sarawak has no right to secede from Malaysia. [10]

Borneo officers appointed should be locals. [11]

Every effort should be made to encourage British Officers to remain in the public service until their places can be taken by people of the relevant state. [12]

The recommendation in paragraph 148(k) of the Report of the Cobbold Commission should govern the citizenship rights in the state of Sarawak subject to the following amendments: [13]

• a) sub-paragraph (i) should not contain the proviso as to five years residence.
• b) in order to tie up with our law, sub-paragraph (ii)(a) should read "7 out of 10 years" instead of "8 out of 10 years".
• c) sub-paragraph (iii) should not contain any restriction tied to the citizenship of parents – a person born in North Borneo after Malaysia must be federal citizen.

Sarawak should retain control of its own finance, funds, development and tariff. [14]

• a) the Prime Minister should be elected by unofficial members of Legislative Council,
• b) There should be a proper Ministerial system in Sarawak. [15]

There should be seven years and during such period legislative power must be left with the State of Sarawak by the Constitution and not be merely delegated to the State Government by the Federal Government (that period is over). [16]

The existing educational system of Sarawak should be maintained and for this reason it should be under state control (Sarawak education system, Sarawak State Legislative Assembly has integrated education into the national system on 6 July 1976). [17]

No amendment modification or withdrawal of any special safeguard granted to Sarawak should be made by the Central Government without the positive concurrence of the Government of the relevant state. [18]

This should take account of the population of Sarawak, its size and potentialities and in any case should not be less than that of Singapore. [19]

Name of Head of State for Sarawak is "yang Dipertuan Negara". [20]

The provisions in the Constitution of the Federation in respect of the powers of the National Land Council should not apply in Sarawak. Likewise, the National Council for Local Government should not apply in Sarawak. [21]