KUCHING, Sept 12: Sarawak activist Peter John Jaban has called for a total restructuring of the Senate in Malaysia’s parliamentary system to achieve constitutional protection for the Borneo States instead of pushing for 35 per cent of seats in the Dewan Rakyat to Sarawak and Sabah.
According to a statement released today, he stated that such a move “goes against the principles of democracy”, as the two States account for only 20 per cent of the country’s population.
He said that constitutional protection for the two Borneo States should be achieved through a total restructuring of Parliament, with each partner given full veto power over any legislation threatening the nation’s future unity and harmony.
Peter John, a former chief of the Sarawak Chapter for Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (MAFREL), emphasised that the original aims of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) were to ensure proper integration of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak within the federation.
“There should be no situation in which Malaya can impose its will or its identity onto the fundamental character of the nation as a whole,” he said.
He added that the country requires a system in which the constitution reflects an equal representation of all of the country’s component partners.
“The question before us, one year from our 60th anniversary, is how we can achieve that goal while righting any genuine imbalances in today’s context.
“On the one hand, we cannot continue to allow the Peninsula to hold such sway, which has seen numerous unfair constitutional changes over the last decades, detrimental to the position of the Borneo Territories.
“But neither should we allow Sabah and Sarawak disproportionate influence in a properly functioning democracy,” he noted.
Furthermore, Peter John claimed that many constitutional changes in the last 60 years have undermined the spirit of MA63 and that Sarawakians are grateful that the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and the special council on MA63 are working to improve constitutional protection for the two Borneo States.
“But this does not mean that the Borneo territories should have unreasonable power over the day-to-day workings of Parliament, including the budget, for example.
“That would be perpetuating the same problem, swapping one tyranny for another,” he asserted.
Peter John, also the founder of Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS), pointed out that Malaysia should strive for proportional representation of all interests and citizens, which is best accomplished through a fundamental restructuring of the Senate.
“This should comprise an equal number of representatives from the three component territories and (each) be given the power to veto any legislation which does not support that equal representation.
“Then, an elected Parliament can function for all Malaysians and get on with the proper administration of the nation, while the Senate has the power to control the excesses of any elected representative and protect the interests of the Federation as a whole,” he explained.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, was recently reported to have stated that the special council on the MA63 meeting had endorsed the move to restore 35 per cent of the 222 Parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak.
The endorsement would enable Sabah and Sarawak to have 78 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat. — DayakDaily
