DAP slammed over criticism of delayed second reading of Bill pertaining to MA63
KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Central Publicity Bureau has called out Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak for criticising the federal government in delaying the second reading of the constitutional amendment Bill in relation to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The bureau pointed out that currently, the Parliament has decided to only delay the second reading, with the first reading to still proceed as per scheduled.
“SUPP believes that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob would not disappoint Sarawakians and Sabahans,” it said in a statement yesterday.
In relation to this, it said DAP Sarawak should instead apologise to all Sarawakians and Sabahans for its ‘insincere and disadvantaged’ amendment Bill related to MA63 tabled back in 2019.
“(Minister in Prime Minister’s Department – Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar reiterated that the MA63 Constitutional Amendment Bill, upon tabling, meant to restore the equalpartner status of Sarawak and Sabah, and the meaning of the ‘Federation in the Constitution’ would also be rephrased.
“He (Wan Junaidi), however, said the second reading of the Bill would be moved to another date, and not on Oct 28 as initially scheduled. This is to allow the A orney-General (AG) to further explain the proposed amendments to members of the Cabinet.”
Moreover, SUPP said DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) presidential council member Baru Bian had never voiced out for Sarawakian rights when they were the Sarawak representatives in the MA63 commi ee team of Pakatan Harapan (PH) helmed federal government.
“Worse still, PH Sarawak had back then played the blaming game and criticised Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) for causing the failure of the amendment Bill in Parliament.”
SUPP said under the PH administration at the time, the federal government had not recognised the state government’s rights in imposing petroleum sales tax, and had even allowed Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to challenge the state’s claims through legal means.
“Why DAP Sarawak chairman Chong and PSB’s Baru, at that time, never stood with Sarawak to pressure the PH-led government to stop the legal action against Sarawak?”
SUPP said the fall of the PH-led federal government had resulted in the former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, under his Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, acknowledging Sarawak’s oil and gas rights and having instructed Petronas to pay to the state government the petroleum sales tax in arrears.
It said the move had resulted in an accumulation of over RM6 billion in taxes to Sarawak, which had exceeded the fund allocated to the state by the former PH-led government.
“Therefore, SUPP urges PH Sarawak to do self-repent before criticising GPS because they have not made any contribution to Sarawak and have also never apologised to all Sarawakians for all the millions-ringgit cancelled projects,” said SUPP.