Abg Johari meets Sarawak MPs in KL
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on Sunday night spent some valuable time meeting Sarawak members of Parliament from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in Kuala Lumpur.
The meeting was held in conjunction with the ongoing Parliament sitting.
Abang Johari was accompanied by his three deputy chief ministers – Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan – and Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol.
When contacted yesterday, Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the GPS parliamentarians present at the meeting discussed with Abang Johari the amendment to Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution, to be tabled in Parliament.
The proposed amendment is to restore the status of Sarawak and Sabah as equal partners.
He said thus far, GPS MPs do not know the content of the bill and cannot comment on how they will vote.
“If it is in favour of Sarawak, of course we will vote for it.
“If it is not we will not vote for it,” he said.
The amendment to the federal constitution requires a two-thirds majority and Pakatan Harapan (PH) has not enough number to get it amended, said Wan Junaidi.
They would require other MPs from GPS, PAS, the Independents and even those from Barisan Nasional to support the amended bill, he said.
“The unwritten rule of Parliament is that they (PH) must sit and talk to us (GPS) (about it). I have never been told about this talk yet,” he added.
However Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang, who is from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), said he was confident that the majority of MPs from Sabah and Sarawak would support the bill, should it be tabled next week.
The bill is likely to be tabled for first reading between April 8 and 9, in that there is already a directive to all MPs from PH to be present at that time, according to a source from PH.