By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Nov 3: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah is perplexed that many leaders from Peninsular Malaysia are still ignorant about the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which gives Sarawak and Sabah autonomy over its immigration.
“Sometimes, I find it a little bit surprising that quite a lot of West Malaysian leaders are ignorant of the rights of Sarawak and Sabah especially when it comes to immigration.
“This right is enshrined in Federal Constitution. This right is part of what we have negotiated and one of the important terms and conditions before the signing of MA63.
“They have to update on their knowledge of the Federal Constitution and the terms and conditions of the fundamentals in the agreement, among ministers and deputy ministers. That means that they are ignorant,” Abdul Karim told the media after attending the PBB supreme council meeting at its headquarters at Jalan Bako here today.
Abdul Karim, who is also Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports was responding to the revelation made by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during an earlier press conference after chairing PBB supreme council meeting, that a deputy minister had tried to talk him to remove the immigration autonomy of Sarawak.
However, the chief minister did not reveal the identity of the deputy minister except to say that he (the deputy minister) could not have done it without directive from his superiors in the federal government. — DayakDaily
