KUCHING, April 10: State Reform Party (STAR) president Lina Soo says the defeat of the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 yesterday was expected and a landmark victory for Sarawakians and Sabahans.
“The political maturity of the people of Sarawak and Sabah has reached new heights not seen since the formation of Malaysia.
“For Sarawak, such esprit de corps and nationalist sentiments have not been witnessed since the anti-cession movement of the 1940s, when Sarawak was annexed by Britain to become a Crown colony,” Soo said in a statement today said in response to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s failure to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution.
She opined that the people’s level of awareness of political issues affecting the future of their respective states was very much evident.
“The people have voiced out loud and clear, that any constitutional amendment(s) without adhering to the principle of MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) must be rejected altogether.”
Soo insisted that any constitutional amendment that affects the political position of Sarawak and Sabah must first be brought before the state legislature for legitimacy and to always to seek the consensus of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil societies and unrepresented Sarawak political parties to give voice to the people.
“The federal government must by now recognise and take heed that Sarawakians and Sabahans are not easy pushovers. In the past, the federal government could have their way and get away with anything, but not today.”
Last night, 138 MPs supported the amendment, none rejecting and 59 abstaining. — DayakDaily
