By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, April 28: Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei says Pakatan Harapan (PH) “means business” when it comes to the restoration of Sarawak’s rights.
He said for the said restoration to happen, Sarawak must first set its status right.
“It is important for Sarawak to set the status right first and this (the recently proposed bill to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution) is a genuine gesture, a good gesture from the PH federal government to Sarawak. We mean business.
“So we mean business and we want to put everything back to its original position and this is what we deserve,” said Wong at the forum titled “Should Sarawakians support the Amendment to Federal Constitution 1(2) Bill as tabled in Parliament on April 9, 2019 in the light of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)?” held at Kuching Civic Centre today.
The forum was organised by DayakDaily.
Wong was one of four panel speakers at the forum. Other speakers were Muara Tuang assemblyman Datuk Idris Buang, former Padungan assemblyman Dominique Ng and senior lawyer Shankar Ram.
Wong reminded all that it was the will of late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem who wanted Sarawak’s rights back, no more and no less. He added, the PH federal government has heard the voice of Sarawak and has taken the first two steps to return the rights of Sarawak.
“Sarawak wanted things back to the original position; to restore back to the original position. This is what we want. This is our voice. The voice was finally heard by the federal government after the change of government on May 9 last year.”
He said PH has been taking tangible steps to return the rights of Sarawak as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63); firstly, by setting up the special cabinet steering committee meeting on the MA63 and secondly, by proposing the amendment to Federal Constitution 1(2) Bill.
He said the amendment was important because the amendment “would set Sarawak’s status right”.
Quoting a Chinese saying ‘ming bu zheng, Yan bu shun”, he emphasised the necessity to set one’s position or status right first before any negotiation can take place.
“Set the position right first; set the status right first, and if our status is right, we will have an identity of ourselves, the we can speak smoothly (then we can negotiate legitimately),” said Wong. — DayakDaily
