– by Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Oct 9: Santubong MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar hopes Pakatan Harapan (PH) will amend not just Article 1(2) but all parts of the Federal Constitution that may be contradictory to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said PH should examine the whole Federal Constitution, locate sections or parts contradicting MA63 and amend them at the same time.
“PH should look into the Federal Constitution in totality vis-a-vis MA63. There are many more amendments to be made, rather than just do it on a piecemeal basis of amending only Article 1(2).”
“Any part of the Federal Constitution that may be contradictory to MA63 should be amended at one go. The effort must be focussed or centred on returning the rights back to Sarawak and Sabah,” Wan Junaidi told DayakDaily.
He said for the amendment to the Federal Constitution, PH would need the support of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) which PH will receive.
“GPS will give the amendments full support. However, PH should also be aware that the support of GPS should not be manipulated into a political instrument,” said Wan Junaidi.
Wan Junaidi was commenting on Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Kwong who is here in Sarawak to garner support for PH’s attempt to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to restore Sarawak and Sabah’s status as enshrined under MA63, as equal partners in the federation.
Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution has reduced Sarawak and Sabah to the 12th and 13th states in the Federation of Malaysia and as such, is contradictory to MA63 which clearly spells that the two entities joined as equal partners.
On Liew’s suggestion of raising the retirement age of judges from 66 to 70 by amending Article 125, Wan Junaidi said raising the retirement age of judges to 70 is what he has been advocating.
“I have expressed myself openly at a function before that judges should retire at the age of 70.” — DayakDaily
