By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, April 10: Kapit MP Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said Sarawak MPs are duty-bound to protect Sarawak’s interests in the Parliament.
Nanta who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general said what they did in Parliament was strictly for the interest of the Sarawak people, contrary to the accusations of Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders.
“As far as I am concerned and the rest of GPS Sarawak is concerned, we feel that we are duty-bound to protect the interests of Sarawak.
“When we abstained (from voting it is) because we welcome and agreed that this Amendment should be proposed and tabled.
“What we can’t fully agree with is the wording. What we just wanted is for a little more to be included. We feel that what was tabled was not quite sufficient,” Nanta told DayakDaily today.
He said GPS MPs had the best interests of Sarawak at heart when they made the decision to abstain from voting.
“We put Sarawak’s interests above all and not as alleged by Sarawak PH (Pakatan Harapan) — Sarawak PKR and Sarawak DAP.
“They tried to blame us. They said we were against it. No, we are not against the idea of restoring the status of Sarawak to be equal partner. We support it. The only thing is we want it to be more comprehensive.
“We want the best for Sarawakians and so we did what we are supposed to do — to question the Bill and to ask for as much assurance as possible.
“We want to put in the term ‘in pursuance of the Malaysia Agreement 1963’, then we will be more able to accept because we feel that without that, it is really not that reassuring,” said Nanta.
The PH government proposed the Amendment to Federal Constitution Article 1(2) Bill on April 4. A debate was carried out yesterday after the Second Reading. A total of 46 MPs debated.
After the Third Reading, a vote was called and the Bill failed to pass as it could not reach the mandatory two-thirds majority required to pass the Bill.
There were 138 MPs who voted for it, none objected to it while 59 abstained from voting. — DayakDaily
