Chong: Bill not passed due to self-serving interest, ego of GPS

KUCHING: The secretariat handling the amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution should not be blamed for the failure to pass the constitutional amendment bill in Parliament.

DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen stated this to counter a statement by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg. He said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman should instead blame his own GPS members of parliament in this matter.

“The Minister’s (in charge of law Datuk Liew Vui Keong) secretariat has done no wrong. The fault lies with the self-serving political interest and the big egos of GPS,” said Chong, who is also Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and Stampin MP.

On Friday, Abang Johari was quoted as saying that it was a case of ‘mishandling’ on the part of the secretariat pertaining to the tabling of amendment to Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution in Parliament which resulted in MPs from GPS not having a good understanding of the Bill.

“Initially, it was okay, but things were not done as what we expect ... and I think there is a weakness by the secretariat in dealing with it (the amendment).

“If there has been good handling on the part of the secretariat, then we will have a very strong sort of platform of understanding, then the wordings (on the Bill) can be better,” he was reported as saying.

The amendment Bill to Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution was not passed on April 9 at the current Parliament session after it failed to get the two-thirds majority. It received 138 MPs in favour, 59 abstained and none objected from the total of 222 MPs.

On a related matter, Chong charged that if the bill had been passed, GPS will immediate lose one of its election campaigning platforms.

Furthermore, he argued, the passing of the Bill would have told Sarawakians that what GPS or the former Barisan Nasional Sarawak has failed for 43 years, the Pakatan Harapan has remedied it within one year of the changing the federal government.

“That is political interest above Sarawak’s interest. Secondly, it has become a norm for GPS to never accept anything from the opposite side of the political divide even if the latter’s proposals are good and beneficial to the people.

“There have been too many incidents in Sarawak State Legislative Assembly when the Opposition ADUNs (assemblypersons) tabled certain motions which were good and beneficial to the people of Sarawak. Knowing that it couldn’t reject such motions, the GPS ADUNs would then copycat the motion, amend some words to the motion and then tabled it.

“The speaker will then decide based on voting which of the two motions was to be debated. With the GPS’ absolute majority in DUN, it goes without saying that the GPS ADUN’s motion would always be debated and accepted while the Opposition’s motion would be rejected,” he said.

According to Chong, such was not the outcome when the GPS repeated its childish stunt in Parliament. He pointed out that when the Bill tabled by PH Government is word for word same as the 1963 version of the Constitution, no more no less, the GPS tried to add in additional terms as a condition for supporting the Bill.

“This was done so that they can repeat what was done in DUN Sarawak, ie. claiming credit for the amendment. Sad for the GPS, they should have known better, Parliament and national politics is no place for such child play.

“Along with it, the GPS has squandered the golden opportunity for Sarawak to regain its original status in MA63 in Malaysia. Now, because of the doing of the GPS MPs in abstaining from voting, Sarawak remains 1 of the 13 states in Malaysia.

“Not only has the GPS shot their own legs by not voting for the Amendment Bill, but they have also shot the legs of Sarawakians and also Sabahans,” he said.