Dr Sim lauds Sarawak MPs for stand on amendment Bill
KUCHING: Members of parliament (MPs) from Gabungan Parti Sarawak ( GPS) should be commended for making a great effort to scrutinise the contents of the Constitutional Amendment Bill to defend Sarawak’s position and rights in the Federation of Malaysia.
Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) president Datuk Dr. Sim Kui Hian, who said this, pointed out that it was GPS’ stand not to oppose the amendment Bill but to demand for a complete package of amendments in Article 1( 2) and Article 160 to restore Sarawak’s equal partner status in form and in substance.
“Since we are meant to come together to right the wrong made in the past, there’s no reason why we can’t iron out all the issues such as a third of parliamentary seats and a third of national resources and revenue once for all before we are hurried into passing any amendments to the constitution.
“The failure of the PH government to obtain two-thirds majority in the parliament is due to their own folly in turning a deaf ear to our demands to also amend the definition of ‘the Federation’ to mean the Federation of Malaysia established under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 ( MA63), not a Federation under the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957,” he said yesterday.
Dr Sim, who is also the state Minister of Housing and Local Government, said the Sarawak Pakatan Harapan MPs under the leadership of PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen were a huge letdown to Sarawakians when they continued to push Sarawak to agree on cosmetic changes in the Bill.
According to Dr Sim, the Sarawak PH MPs never confronted the PH federal government in its refusal to mention the MA63 in the constitution to acknowledge Sarawak’s equal status.
He pointed out that Chong as a Sarawakian representative in the Cabinet steering committee on MA63 had not played a relevant and effective role in presenting Sarawakians’ true aspirations , instead he was seen by many as a hardworking salesman for his Malayan masters.
“As I stressed before, it is time for Sarawakians to decide our fate as this is the most valid and democratic way to ascertain our people’s aspirations,” he added.