– by Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, Oct 9: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs would need to look at and study the details of the proposed amendment to the Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution before agreeing to support it in Parliament.
Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said at the moment the proposal was only conveyed informally by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Keong who came to Kuching yesterday.
“We just heard from the minister (Liew) that they were actually trying to see the feelings on the ground how the amendment would be accepted. So in principle of course if it’s good for Sarawak, Sabah and Malaysia; we are all for it.
“With that said, we will have to look at the proposed amendment (black and white details) before we can comment further,” she told reporters after attending a dinner reception with Liew on Monday.
Earlier, Liew said he would bring forward the proposal to the federal cabinet this week before tabling it in Parliament some time later this month.
Liew also said that he had also met with Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud this afternoon after chairing a meeting with the Advocates Association of Sarawak earlier, to inform him on the proposed amendment, and said the response was positive.
Sharifah Hasidah said Parliament was scheduled to begin sometime next week and it seemed like a rush for the minister to come up with the details of the proposal, which he first should present to the cabinet and GPS MPs before tabling it in Parliament.
“The Parliament sitting is next week so I don’t think there is enough time to table that. He will have to propose to the cabinet first before the Parliament sitting.
“Whatever is good for the state, for our fight for our oil and gas our rights, we will support but that said, we will have to see the proposed amendment (details) that is going to be tabled.
“I will have to discuss this with the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) first,” said Sharifah Hasidah.
Meanwhile Petra Jaya MP Datuk Fadillah Yusof who also attended the dinner reception, said in principle, GPS would definitely support whatever that is good for Sarawak and Sabah to regain their rights according to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“But to say we will support in Parliament, I cannot say anything yet until we study the details of the proposed amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Fadillah said nonetheless, the amendment should focus on returning the rights of Sarawak and Sabah as accorded under MA63 which had been eroded. — DayakDaily
