By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, Feb 11: Sabah and Sarawak have officially been recognised today as equal partners with Peninsular Malaysia, with the amendment to clause (2) of Article 1 and clause (2) of Article 160 of the Federal Constitution.
The Constitution (Amendment) Act 2022 [Act A1642] has officially come into force today following the consent by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni AlMarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah.
Labelling it as another historical day for Sarawak and Sabah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the people in both States have long awaited this news, where the amendment to clause (2) of Article 1 and clause (2) of Article 160 of the Federal Constitution was made to clarify the position of both States in Malaysia in accordance with matters implied in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Pursuant to section 1 (2) Act A1642, this Act A1642 will come into force on the date fixed by His Majesty which is today (Feb 11, 2022).
“Earlier, His Majesty had approved it on Jan 19. Subsequently, the Bill was gazetted as an amendment Act, namely the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2022 [Act A1642] on Jan 25,” Wan Junaidi said.
He added that the Act includes amendments to Articles 1 (2), 160 (2) and 161A (6) and (7) the Federal Constitution.
“With this, the Federal government cannot say the demands from Sabah and Sarawak are not in the constitution or within the law of Malaysia. We’ve been shortchanged for almost 59 years.
“When Malaysia was formed in 1963, several items promised in the MA63 were not included in the Federal Constitution and as such the Agreement itself was not truly recognised.
“What we have done now, is to place the MA63 in the Federal Constitution in order to become the real Malaysia in the context of the three agreements — Federal Agreement 1948, Federal Agreement 1957 and the MA63,” he explained. — DayakDaily
