Put aside ego, support amendment Bill, GPS MPs urged

KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs should put aside their ego and stop acting like a political buffoon, says Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak publicity secretary Abdul Aziz Isa.

Through a press statement yesterday, he said that he could not comprehend as to why GPS MPs objected to the Bill and that the amendment was what Sarawak government wanted.

He clarified that the amendment Bill to Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution which was tabled by de facto Law Minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong is also in line with the original structure in the Federal Constitution with the two states in a separate category from the other 11 states in the peninsula.

"The structure of Article 1(2) of the Constitution in the 2019 proposed amendment is exactly the same as that of the 1963 Article 1(2), save that we no longer use the phrase ‘the States of Malaya' and ‘the Borneo States'

"Surely from Sarawak's perspective, the present amendment is an improvement to the 1976 version of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution," he added.

He remarked that Sarawak and Sabah were put on the correct platform as envisaged by the forefathers during the formation of Malaysia, adding to the fact that the amendment was only a starting point in the continuous process of devolution of powers and reinstating the two's equal standing.

"As such, if GPS sincerely has the interest of Sarawak in mind there is no reason to oppose; sadly GPS turns around to object the Bill for their political mileage and propaganda,” he suggested.

He then urged GPS MPs to rethink their position, put aside their ego and pride and support the amendment Bill as “it is learnt that the amendment is what was emphasised by former chief minister the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, repeated by the current Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg”.