KUCHING, Feb 16: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) urges the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) to table motions to reject the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (PDA74) and Territorial Sea Act 2012 (TSA) and to demand the federal government to amend both Acts.
Aspirasi president Lina Soo asserted that the DUN is the Sarawak Parliament. She argued that since Parliament is a lawmaking assembly with the power to make and amend laws, any amendments formalised in DUN with more than a two-third majority means the legislation is carried and constituted.
She also cited Article VIII of Malaysia Agreement 1963 which stipulates that the Governments of the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak will take such legislative, executive or other action as may be required to implement the assurances, undertakings, and recommendations contained in Chapter 3 of, and Annexes A and B to, the Report of the Inter-Governmental Committee signed on 27th February 1963, in so far as they are not implemented by express provision of the Constitution of Malaysia.
“Any inconsistency between the Federal and Sarawak Constitutions can be regularised as per Malaysia Agreement, when the Sarawak government had constituted and legislated in DUN first.
“If the Sarawak government cannot legislate to right federal laws which are deemed unconstitutional to Sarawak, then Sarawak would be unable to reject the Petroleum Development Act 1974 and Territorial Sea Act 2012 which has robbed Sarawak of our oil resources and territorial integrity.
“I call upon the Premier of Sarawak and the government to table two motions to reject the Petroleum Development Act 1974 and Territorial Sea Act 2012, and powered by our Sarawak legislation to demand the federal government to amend both Acts to exclude Sarawak, in order to get back ownership and all economic rights over our oil and gas, and continental shelf. It’s as simple as that.
“Let this change of name for our head of government to Sarawak Premier not be just purely cosmetic but to herald a meaningful and purposeful sequel for the people of Sarawak, to get back our oil, gas, taxes, marine fishes and sovereignty,” said Soo in a statement today.
Soo’s statement came in response to the DUN passing the Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill, 2022 yesterday which among others, re-designates the post of “Chief Minister” as “Premier”.
She said the constitutional amendment proved the sovereignty and sanctity of the House established as Sarawak General Council on Sept 8,1867 and is one of the oldest continuously functioning legislatures in the world, with the power to make and amend law. — DayakDaily
