Anak Negeri welcomes decision to restore equal partner status

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) welcomed the Federal Cabinet’s decision to amend and restore Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution to make Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia equal partners based on the original spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Its president Datuk Henrynus Amin said the Cabinet decision to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s rightful place was a monumental victory for all Malaysians and the people of Sabah and Sarawak in particular.

However, he said, the constitutional amendment would be a mere cosmetic changes and a hollow victory if there was no federal follow-up action to fully implement the terms of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63).

“With the constitutional amendment, Sabahans are keenly expecting federal action to respect and restore Sabah Sarawak’s rights on oil and gas resources as well as Sabah’s right on 40 per cent federal revenue accrued in Sabah as provided for under the Federal Constitution.

He said Sabahans were waiting for federal action to fulfil federal security obligation to Sabah given the huge presence of transient population from neighbouring countries.

“Sabahans are waiting for Federal action to fulfil its assurances on the principles of freedom of religion to Sabah natives as enshrined on the Keningau Oath Stone.”

“We are yet to see federal action under the PH government to lift federal ban on the use of certain religious term in Christian Malay Bibles.”

“I believe the amendment will get the support of two-thirds majority of MPs in the House of Representatives including all MPs from Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

“It is time to remove the last vestiges of colonial policies in state federal relation once and for all,” he said in a statement yesterday.