Proposed amendment mere sentence reconstruction — SUPP

MIRI: The proposed amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution is merely sentence reconstruction without recognition of the rights and aspirations of Sabah and Sarawak, said Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting.

In a statement issued on Friday, he said the majority of Sarawakians and SUPP share the same disappointment with the proposed amendment tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong on Thursday.

“The proposed amendment Bill has no meaning and it is just merely reconstructing the sentences and playing with words. Basically, it means the same thing with or without the amendment,” he said.

Ting said the proposed amendment in its current form does not appear to put Sarawak and Sabah as equal partners with the peninsula in the Malaysian Federation.

He said SUPP regarded the Bill as premature and a rush job by the federal government without properly addressing the main issues, expectations, and aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians.

There was no mention of returning Sarawak’s rights, oil and gas royalties, or increasing financial grants, or increasing the number of parliamentary seats for Sarawak and Sabah to one-third of the total 222 seats for equal partnership, he said.

“We appeal to all 31 Sarawak MPs, especially, to vote against this proposed amendment Bill as it has no meaning at all and it does not benefit Sarawak as it further validates Sarawak as one of 13 states. Sarawak MPs must always put the interests of Sarawak first,” he said.

A lawyer by profession, Ting said he had already pointed out on March 10 that Sarawak and Sabah would not be equal partners with the peninsula by merely amending Article 1(2) without amending Article 160.

“No matter how the federal government reconstructs the Article 1(2) sentences, as long as the federal government maintains the definition of ‘the Federation’ as the federation established under the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957, Sarawak will continue to remain merely one of the 13 states like the rest,” he said.

Ting questioned the rationale of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s refusal to understand and acknowledge the fact that Sabah and Sarawak were not involved in the formation of Malaya.

On the Bill’s Explanatory Statement, which states, “The amendment does not, in any way, alter the functions of the Federal and State Governments under the concept of federalism,” he said it begs the question of whether the “concept of federalism” is based on the 1957 or 1963 version.

Ting also noted the lack of adequate and transparent negotiation or discussion with Sabah and Sarawak.