Ting suggests more talks on proposed change to Constitution
MIRI: Datuk Sebastian Ting opines that more meaningful discussions and sharing of thoughts should be held on the terms and conditions of the proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution.
The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) secretary-general, in his statement yesterday, said that the Sarawak GPS government, led by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, has been consistent in wanting to have the Federal Constitution amended to reflect the true intentions of the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
“The announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of recognising Sarawak as one of the three equal partners forming Malaysia during his twoday visit to Sarawak last week has been very encouraging.
“As the founding partners in the formation of Malaysia, Sarawak must be treated equally as one of the remaining three original partners and definitely not to be treated like other states (in West Malaysia), because our ‘State’ has special autonomy secured in the Federal Constitution that other states do not have,” said Ting.
Pointing out Sarawak’s autonomy rights as example, Ting said the power for Sarawak to implement its own Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 comes from Item 2 (c) of the Federal Constitution’s State List which confers the state legislatures with competence to legislate on matters relating to issuance of permits and licences for prospecting for mines; and mining leases and certificates.
“The late Tan Sri Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, as a lawyer himself, had been consistently referring Sarawak as a founding state of the Malaysian Federation throughout his time as Chief Minister of Sarawak.
“Sarawak and Sabah, as two of the remaining three founding partners to the Malaysia Agreement signed in 1963, are and should be equal in status. We should continue using the term ‘founding state’ for Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia as it gives more definitive meaning,” said the assemblyman for Piasau constituency.
Ting, who is also the Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, stressed that the proposed Federal Constitution amendment is not only to put Sarawak as equal partner to Sabah and the Peninsula, but also of substantive nature, such as allocating one-third of the seats in Parliament to Sarawak and Sabah.
“We believe this is the only genuine way of power sharing among the three equal partners.”
He added that the GPS government is serious and is fully committed to fight for Sarawak’s rights as contained in Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
On April 30, 2019, Sarawak’s State Legislative Assembly had passed a motion to propose a comprehensive amendment to the Federation Constitution incorporating amendment to Article 1(2) to include ‘Pursuant to Malaysia Agreement 1963…’
“We believe our Prime Minister was sincere when he made the above important announcement, as he knows sincerity would be crucial and important and unless the announcement by Muhyiddin bring about real changes, otherwise it is just playing with words,” said Ting.