By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Nov 1: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg suggests there should be five representatives each from Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah to form the Steering Committee to look into the restoration of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He described the current committee composition whereby Peninsular Malaysia has eight representatives and both Sarawak and Sabah have a combined eight as not being fair.
“The representation in the (steering) committee is not fair for us. As equal partners in the federation, the number should reflect equality, meaning there should be five each from Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah.
“And for that, I have met Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to convey our message,” he said at the Seventh Sarawak Malay Cultural Seminar held at a hotel here yesterday.
He was reacting to news reports whereby Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the chief minister had panicked when he found out that Sarawak representation in the Steering Committee is in the minority.
Chong had recently remarked that the number of representatives within the Steering Committee was not important as it was not about the majority bullying the minority through a show of hands.
He said Abang Johari panicked when the latter found himself to be the minority in the committee and even before the first meeting convened, Abang Johari had “chickened out”.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari paid tribute to his predecessor, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem who had told him on his death bed to continue fighting for the state’s rights under MA63 and also to fight for the state’s rights over its oil and gas resources. — DayakDaily
