PBS disappointed but not disheartened — Mositun
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is committed to restoring Sabah’s position as an equal partner in the Federation of Malaysia with Sarawak and Malaya, said its vice president Datuk Johnny Mositun.
Mositun said that defeat of the Bill to amend Article 1( 2) of the Federal Constitution does nothing to deter the party from this objective.
“Disappointed, yes, but we are not disheartened. PBS regards this as merely a temporary setback. It has not diminished our resolve in any way.
“PBS will not abandon the struggle to establish Sabah’s position as an equal partner with Sarawak and Malaya within the Federation of Malaysia.
“That and our autonomy, state rights and equitable share of revenue as embodied in the Malaysia Agreement of 1963,” said Mositun.
The former Deputy State Assembly Speaker stressed that PBS president, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili had made the party’s stand very clear when debating the proposed amendment in Parliament.
He said PBS was not opposed to the constitutional amendments but only wanted the amendments to be clear and unambiguous.
“Reverting to the original wordings of the pre-1976 Constitution may seem alright to most people but even then our status as equal partners is not stipulated.
“And ‘Federation’ referred to is the Federation of Malaya whose Constitution was in force prior to 1976. That is why the Members of Parliament from Sarawak abstained from supporting the motion.
“Had the words ‘ pursuant to MA63’ been inserted as requested they would have voted for the amendment,” he said.
Mositun said in the same context as Ongkili had pointed out, correctly, that with no reference to MA63 at all in the proposed amendments, it could never be conclusively said that these amendments would give Sabah and Sarawak equal status with Malaya.
“Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Liew Vui Kong, claims the Attorney General said it was not necessary, but then that is only the Attorney General’s contention, and he is just another lawyer, not necessarily an expert in constitutional law and interpretation,” he said.
Mositun said the best thing would be for a Parliamentary Select Committee to prepare the proposed amendments after obtaining feedback and inputs from stakeholders, constitutional experts and the respective legislative assemblies of Sabah and Sarawak.
“In this context PBS welcomes the Chief Minister’s intention to present an urgent motion in the State Assembly. I believe most, if not all our assemblymen, will be for it.
“PBS will certainly put forward its views and suggestions,” he said.
The PBS vice-president also agreed with the Chief Minister’s view that debating the motion on MA63 in the Assembly was preferable and more practical than conducting a referendum.
“That is because across party lines, all agree on the issue of our state’s equal status with Sarawak and Malaya. What we must do now is reach a consensus on how our demands are worded and presented to Putrajaya, and pursue the matter to its logical end,” Mositun said.