Chong: Vital to amend Federal Constitution to restore equal partner status of Sarawak

KUCHING: The proposed amendment to Article 1( 2) of the Federal Constitution to restore Sarawak’s status as one of the three territories in Malaysia is the most important and fundamental step towards restoring the equal partner status of Sarawak.

In expressing this view, Pakatan Harapan ( PH) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said it is only when all Malaysians take cognition of the fact that Sarawak is ‘one of the three territories’ in Malaysia that talks on autonomy and equal partner status of Sarawak vis- a-vis Federation of Malaya will bear fruit.

He claimed that within one year of taking over Putrajaya, the PH government had agreed to return to Sarawak what the Barisan Nasional ( BN) government had taken away from Sarawak since 1976.

“The then BN government, with the support of PBB and SUPP, passed the 1976 Constitution Amendment reducing Sarawak from ‘one of the three territories’ status to ‘one of the 13 states’ status.

“Thereafter, despite years of objection on the diminished status of Sarawak, the government then did nothing while PBB and SUPP just played along with (former prime minister) Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in promising the sky but delivering nothing on Sarawak’s equal partner status,” he told a press conference at the state DAP headquarters here yesterday.

The state DAP chairman stressed that it was only when PH took over the federal government that a cabinet steering committee was formed in October last year to look into the restoration of rights to Sarawak and Sabah and managed to produce some results within a few months.

He said the cabinet’s decision to table the amendment of Article 1( 2) of the Federal Constitution in the Parliament sitting which starts today (March 11) shows the sincerity of the PH government to accord Sarawak and Sabah their rightful positions in Malaysia.

“With this amendment, the whole process and exercise of restoring Sarawak’s rights will be kick- started and gradually I think Sarawak’s autonomy will be restored to beyond what is stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63).

“Within one year, we have started to right the wrong of what has been done by BN for the past 43 years and I think that speaks volumes.”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong last Friday announced the government’s decision to table the proposed amendment which he noted would require a two- third majority, or 148 votes out of the 222 MPs, in the Dewan Rakyat ( Lower House) to pass.

To this, Chong called upon all Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs and Sabah BN MPs to support the amendment when it is tabled in Parliament.

“PH currently has 135 MPs and we need an additional 13 MPs for the amendment to be passed.”

He also explained that the requirement of two- third majority is based on the number of members of the House and not based on the number of members present in the House at the time of voting.

“There is a huge difference, in which for other Bills it is based on the number of members voting at the time when the Bill is presented for voting. But for amendment of the constitution, we need the actual number, which is 148 to support.

“So if an MP is absent, this means that the absence would be taken to mean as voting against the amendment and we can’t reach the two- third majority needed.”

Asked if there will be MPs who will oppose the amendment, the Stampin MP admitted that he was unsure and that it would be “very embarrassing for the government of the day” if any government Bill tabled in the sitting failed to pass.

“Nevertheless, even despite such risks, the PH government is willing to kick start the whole exercise of restoring to Sarawak its equal partner status.

“That speaks volumes of the sincerity of the PH government in restoring Sarawak to its rightful position in the Federation of Malaysia,” he reiterated.

He also brushed aside scepticism from several GPS leaders on the proposed amendment and stated that such amendment would not have taken place if it weren’t for BN.

“They can make any accusation or say whatever they want against the PH government but no matter how self- righteous they want to claim about GPS, they are the ones who gave up Sarawak’s equal partner status and eroded all the rights that Sarawak had for the past 43 years.

“They may call themselves GPS now, but they are still the same people in PBB and SUPP who support the 1976 Constitution Amendment.

“Even though they may have quit BN, history will still record that they supported this amendment to reduce Sarawak to one of the 13 states in Malaysia,” he remarked.

Also present at the press conference was Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong.