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Malaysia's federal system is asymmetric, as the East Malaysian territories of Sarawak and Sabah have more autonomy and prerogatives than their West Malaysian counterparts. This reflects their incorporation into the Malaysian Federation in 1963 and distinct ethnic and religious composition.Despite this, many East Malaysians do not feel that their position within Malaysia has been beneficial. Due to their natural resource wealth, these states generate a substantial proportion of federal government revenue and yet suffer high rates of poverty and insufficient infrastructure investment.Furthermore, since their inclusion into Malaysia, the federal government has gradually encroached on the rights and responsibilities initially accorded to the Sarawak and Sabah governments. This was enabled by Barisan Nasional's commanding majorities in parliament, and strict control over component parties—including those from East Malaysia.