THE two-day visit to Sarawak by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the beginning of the month was probably best noted for the emollient tone he set throughout.
Prime-ministerial visits before this were almost always grand and deferential affairs, where there was little doubt who was the alpha personality and who were the supplicants.
Perhaps it is something to do with the persona of the current prime minister, always projecting calmness and humility. As well, it could be that Muhyiddin has read the local mood well.
There is no mistaking that many a Sarawakian have, especially over recent years, grown weary of being at the receiving end of what is regarded as the haughty manner of federal politicians when discussing issues the locals care about deeply.
MA63, shorthand for the Malaysia Agreement 1963, is easily the buzzword of the moment in Sarawak and Sabah, and likely the most pivotal, even emotive, one in the lexicon of federal-state relations in the over five decades since Malaysia's founding.
For most of those years, Malaysians in the two Borneo states were content to go along with the prevailing narrative about Malaysia being merely an extension of the existing Malayan federation, which these two states along with Singapore (briefly) "joined".
Those in Sarawak and Sabah today are more inclined to believe their states had been instrumental and integral in creating a new federation back in 1963. And why not, they will argue, when the territory of the new federation trebled the area of the original Malayan federation.
This fresh understanding of what Malaysia is about almost shouts out for recognition of the fact that Sarawak and Sabah were distinctive, self-governing entities when Malaysia was born.
Hence, Malaysia Day on Sept 16 is now celebrated nationwide as a holiday, apart from Merdeka Day on Aug 31. It was, thus, generally appreciated as a watershed of sorts when the prime minister took to calling Sarawak a "region" rather than a "state" during his visit.
The designation of course counts for little in terms of its official implication. Rather, it is the spirit contained in the designation; a welcome embrace by the prime minister of the fact that three distinct "regions" — Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah — made up Malaysia.
Acceptance of this "concept" of a federation of three regions is likely to make the ongoing consultations between Putrajaya, and Sarawak and Sabah over various autonomy provisions in MA63 go much more smoothly.
Muhyiddin's first visit to Sarawak since becoming prime minister clearly also had a crucial political subtext in that state and general elections are speculated to be held simultaneously later this year.
The prime minister sidestepped a potential political minefield when he deferred to Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg on whether Bersatu, which is led by Muhyiddin as president, will field candidates in the state election.
Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Ali Biju, who joined Bersatu after leaving PKR, is also a Sarawak assemblyman.
Abang Johari returned Muhyiddin's political gesture by pledging anew the state ruling coalition's support of the Perikatan Nasional government.
Muhyiddin and Abang Johari see that their political interests are aligned and that the priority at the moment is to ensure that those interests are consolidated and reinforced in the looming electoral contests, given the rather fractured national political landscape heading into them.
As if anyone needs reminding, Muhyiddin reiterated that any MA63-related changes to the Federal Constitution, which Sarawak and Sabah are clamouring for, will materialise only if there is a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The previous Pakatan Harapan government's attempt to return to the original wording of Sarawak and Sabah's positions in the constitutional order of Malaysia was stymied when the Sarawak government then had opposed it.
Sarawak then had insisted – and probably will in the future as well – that MA63 be referred to in an amended Constitution.
The writer views developments in the nation, region and wider world from his vantage point in Kuching, Sarawak