Ting suggests amendment tabled in Parliament to restore status of Sabah, S’wak

MIRI: SUPP secretary- general Datuk Sebastian Ting, who is Piasau assemblyman, welcomes the statement of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad that the Pakatan Harapan ( PH) government would restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners, but says the prime minister should push for the appropriate amendments in Parliament.

Dr Mahathir had on Sunday said this was part of the process that would be implemented once the review on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63) has been completed.

However, he said a two-thirds majority is needed to effect the legislative amendments in Parliament and wondered whether this would be supported by opposition MPs from Sabah and Sarawak.

Rather than waiting for PH to get two-thirds majority, the matter should be brought to Parliament for amendment through voting, Ting said in a statement yesterday.

“I am sure that all MPs from both divides in Sabah and Sarawak will vote positively for the amendment as this is what Sabahans and Sarawakians are fighting for.”

Ting said SUPP hoped that the review of MA63 will not take too long and completed as soon as possible as Sarawakians and Sabahans are anxiously waiting and looking forward to have their rights back as contained in MA63.

He called on Sarawak and Sabah MPs to take proactive action by tabling the amendment to the Federal Constitution.

“If the PH-led federal government does not table this amendment Bill in the coming Parliament sitting, then any of the GPS MPs from Sarawak can do so. I am sure that all the MPs from Sarawak and Sabah will support the proposed amendment since it is good for Sarawak and Sabah,” he said.

Ting pointed out that what Dr Mahathir had said indeed reflected a scenario that Sabah and Sarawak were not treated as equal partners since the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

“I must say that indeed Sabahans and Sarawakians felt so and continue to have this feeling of being unfairly treated all these years.”

He opined that this is likely the reason for the people of Sarawak and Sabah to express anger against the federal government.

“This unhappiness and emotions are always very high during September each year. Some Sabahans and Sarawakians go to the street each year on the 16th of September for a peaceful and orderly walkabout.”

Ting suggested that the first thing to do is to amend Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution to state that Malaysia shall consist of the states of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.