MA63 Bill: I did not approve – Abg Jo
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg clarified that he had not given his approval during a cabinet committee meeting in respect of the bill to amend Article 1(2).
He was responding to the de facto law minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong who was recently quoted as saying that both Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers had approved the federal government’s intention to amend Article 1 (2) of the federal constitution during a cabinet committee meeting on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Abang Johari pointed out that the cabinet committee never discussed the actual content and wording of the amendment with the state government.
“I have highlighted at the first Steering Committee meeting that our discussions and decisions should be within the parameters of the federal constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He added that any decision made on such an important matter would require him to obtain the mandate of the Consultative Committee established by the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.
Abang Johari stressed that any amendments to the federal constitution or any laws that seek to restore the rights of Sarawak as intended by the parties to the Malaysia Agreement must be substantive in nature and not merely in form.
He added that it was Sarawak’s stand to support the amendment in principle when the Sabah chief minister raised the proposal for the amendment during the first steering committee meeting on MA63.
When the proposal was subsequently brought to the first technical meeting on Jan 14, however, Abang Johari instructed the representatives from Sarawak to submit a written view.
“This view was that we support the amendment to Article 1(2) provided it comes with an amendment to Article 160 (2) on the definition of ‘the Federation’”.
The reason being that he felt that the amendment on Article 1(2) alone does not fully address the aspiration of the people of Sarawak and a reference to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 should be made in the federal constitution via amending Article 160 (2).
“The federal constitution in its current form makes no reference to the Malaysia Agreement 1963.”
Moreover, Abang Johari said that it was decided during the first technical committee meeting that no piecemeal amendments will be made to the federal constitution. .
“Indeed it was agreed that a holistic amendment would be made at the completion of the process for the review of the implementation of MA63.”
He said that the target was for these amendments to be tabled during the third sitting of Parliament scheduled in October 2019.
However, the matter was not discussed further at the subsequent steering committee meetings and the state government was then informed suddenly of the decision to amend Article 1(2) at this coming parliamentary sitting.
“The state government’s view was that a singular amendment to Article 1(2) would not achieve its purpose unless accompanied by other substantive amendments, among others, an amendment to Article 160 (2).”
He further added that the state government was of the view that the amendment would be more appropriate if tabled after important substantive decisions had been made on the issues deliberated by MA63 committees.
As a result, Abang Johari express the hope that his clarifications would refute any allegation made against the state government as being not supportive of the amendment.
“The state government reiterates its support to any amendment of laws which would genuinely bring about substantive benefits to the state and its people,” he said.
He further warned that supporting an amendment which does not bring about actual benefits would be tantamount to committing a fraud on the people of Sarawak.