Wong, Dr Sim back Adenan’s diplomacy option on MA63
KUCHING: The silence from the opposition members during the State Legislative Assembly Sitting yesterday when the chief minister said that the State BN has decided not to table the Motion on matters related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63) after the prime minister had announced of his willingness to discuss with both Sarawak and Sabah on the matter, indicated that they agreed with the State BN’s approach of diplomacy rather than confrontation with Putrajaya.
United People’s Party ( UPP) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said it was a good sign that the opposition members were taking the same approach.
“To me, all YBs in the Dewan irrespective of either from BN and the opposition were quiet was a sign that they want to give the opportunity to the chief minister to pursue the matter through diplomacy and negotiation. So, we hope that the opposition will not go to the press and pour cold water to the chief minister’s approach,” Wong told the media on the sidelines of the DUN Sitting here yesterday.
He pointed out that the main focus should be to resolve all differences constitutionally.
“That should be the keyword and we should not be confrontational because relationship between the state and federal governments should be maintained in cordial manner,” he said.
Wong, who is Second Finance Minister reiterated that the erosion in the state’s rights over the years could not be overturn immediately but would take sometime to achieve.
“And we know that the chief minister so determined to do things right. He has the people of Sarawak at heart. So let’s be more patient and give him the chance. I’m sure he will resolve the issue sooner or later. That’s the best attitude we should adopt,” stressed Wong.
SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian likewise asserted that the chief minister’s nonconfrontational approach to the issue was the right way.
“In confrontation, nobody wins and everybody gets hurt and loose out. For us, it is the State Secretary who deals with the details and the ministers will come in later. We don’t deal with the details,” he said.
Dr Sim said, what was crucial was for the State to get its rights back.
“We want to make sure that we can get back the MA63, ( but) whether we can get it back during this current generation, that I am not sure because we have lost such power in the last 53 years. So we cannot expect to get it back overnight,” he stressed.
In his winding up speech yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had said the state government was not making a ‘ U’ turn when it decided not to proceed with a motion on reclaiming Sarawak’s status as equal partner in the Federation of Malaysia.