KUCHING, April 4: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian has described the Bill to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution as another failure of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to honour its pledges to Sarawak and Sabah.
“We view the Bill as another of PH government’s failure to honour the MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963). In fact, PH has just committed another U-turn on their election promise to return Sabah and Sarawak’s status as accorded in the MA63,” Dr Sim said in a press statement today.
Dr Sim pointed out that the Bill that was tabled by the PH government today was totally unacceptable to Sarawak as the proposed amendment maintained Sarawak as one of the 13 states in Malaysia instead of one of the three equal partner States to the Federation of Malaysia.
“Why bother to table an amendment Bill whereby the return of Sarawak’s autonomy in healthcare and education as promised by the PH is nowhere to be found? Where is the amendment to Article 160 to make Malaysia a federation under the MA63, instead of the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957? Where are Sarawak’s substantial entitlement to a third of national resources and a third in the House of Representatives in the proposed Bill?” he asked.
As such, Dr Sim demanded that the Bill be withdrawn as its contents were against the wishes of Sarawakians.
“With such a disappointing amendment tabled by the PH government, we verily believe that the status of our state should be decided by our people in Sarawak, and not in Parliament,” he said.
The Bill was tabled for first reading in Parliament today by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong. — DayakDaily
