KUCHING: Several Sarawak and Sabah MPs objected to the PH government’s tabling of a Bill to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to honour the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in Parliament yesterday.
Before Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Liew Vui Keong could table the Bill for its first reading, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (PBS-Kota Marudu) stood up to say there should be a clear explanation on the proposed amendments.
He proposed that a select committee be formed and the matter discussed at the committee level first with Sabah and Sarawak.
“We feel the minister is rushing through with the tabling of the Bill,” he said.
Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (GPS-Santubong) told the House that that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was chairing a steering committee on MA63 and the committee had yet to finalise its findings.
He said lawmakers from the Borneo states were not given the 24-hour notice before a Bill was tabled for the first reading.
Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi (GPS-Kapit) echoed Wan Junaidi’s views, stressing that the legislatures of Sarawak and Sabah should also be included in the discussions.
Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (GPS-Petra Jaya) suggested a parliamentary select committee (PSC) be formed to consider the steering committee’s proposals on the rights and privileges of the two Borneo states.
He said existing proposals should be withdrawn and subsequent ones referred to the PSC since it involved not only Sabah and Sarawak but also the peninsula.
Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Star-Keningau) argued that the Bill should be retracted as there was a need for further discussion before it could be tabled, adding that the proposed amendments should be brought to the state legislative assemblies of Sabah and Sarawak.
Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) echoed Jeffrey’s views, saying it necessary (to retract the Bill) as the steering committee under the prime minister was still discussing the issue.
The proposed amendment, if passed, will ensure that Sabah and Sarawak will be equal partners with Peninsular Malaysia.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to substitute Clause (2) of Article 1 to specify all the constituent states of the federation by restoring the position of Clause (2) of Article 1 of the Federal Constitution during the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
“The amendment does not, in any way, alter the functions of the Federal and state governments under the concept of the Federation,” reads the Bill.
