Table motion to discuss Article 8 of MA63, CM urged
KOTA KINABALU: The Member of Parliament for Penampang, Darell Leiking, called on the State Government and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman to allow the tabling of the motion to discuss Article 8 of the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) in the upcoming State Assembly meeting.
His suggestion came in the wake of the recent furore relating to the Tourism Tax Act with Malaysians seemed to be divided whether it is rightful for the Federal Government to proceed with the ‘double taxation’ or not.
“We want this type of issue to be settled once and for all and in order for us to correctly implement the Malaysia Agreement 1963, obviously it has to start from the Sabah State Assembly.
“And for that effect, we have to allow our elected state assemblymen to debate on Article 8 of the MA63 and pass a resolution for its immediate implementation,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Leiking said that the ball is now at the Barisan Nasional (BN) camp, especially from the component parties in the likes of PBS, UPKO, PBRS and LDP to have the debate materialised because it is the only way for Sabahans to be convinced that the BN-led State Government is indeed prioritizing MA63.
This debate is now of utmost urgency considering recent developments in Sabah such as the conversion issue, RUU355, the UMS Vice Chancellor saga and the Tourism Tax Act that drew flaks from both the BN and opposition camps, he stressed.
The fact that PBS, UPKO, PBRS and LDP leaders are making press statements only after vigilant Sabahbased media practitioners and concerned Sabahan netizens made highlights on these issues confirm that the so-called ‘BN Sabah and BN Malaya comradeship’ is not working as how State BN leaders claimed it to be so, he opined.
“It now tell us that in many instances, Sabah BN leaders holding State or Federal Cabinet ministry posts have no idea what the Umno-led Federal Government is actually doing,” the Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president said. “Thus, only by having a very clear sense and guideline on Sabah’s right and privileges as contained in the MA63 can our State Cabinet ministers and state assemblymen perform their roles and responsibilities without fear of reprisal by their political masters in Malaya.
“If Malaya want to bulldoze their wills that contradict the special rights and privilleges accorded to Sabah under MA63, armed with that clear sense and guidelines, our Sabah State Cabinet can simply reject what Malaya want us to do or even to claim whatever is rightfully ours,” he explained.
From thereon, Darell pointed out, the Members of Parliament can then proceed with the tabling of the motion to establish the Parliamentary Select Committee to look into the matter relating to the extent of breaches and erosions of MA63.
“This should be the proper way and we should allow all our elected assemblymen to voice out the aspirations of their respective constituencies in relation to MA63 because Sabah’s future, rights and privilleges within the Federation of Malaysia extend beyond political reasoning,” he added.
Leiking said that what he fears most is ‘what had happened in the 70s to Sabah is on the verge of repeating itself’ and the State may end up losing all that is remaining now.
“One cannot stop to feel disgusted with all the trangressions happening now towards the fundamental rights and privileges of Sabah which only after outbursts by opposition leaders and netizens, do our BN-led State Government start to act.
“So as a trustee of the State Government that had been elected by the Sabahans, BN Sabah and Musa Aman must now allow the tabling of the motion to discuss Article 8 of the MA63 in the State Assembly and call for a special session to this effect,” he said.
“And as for Warisan, the moment the party had taken over the State Government, we will proceed with exercising Article 8 at the first Assembly sitting,” he concluded.