KUCHING, April 27: Sarawak Association for People’s Aspirations (Sapa) today thanked the police for allowing Sarawakians to gather peacefully at Central Padang, here, from 4pm to 6pm tomorrow (April 28).
In urging all Sarawakians to attend, Sapa assistant publicity chief Aleks Chai said the objective of the gathering was for the people to come together and peacefully demand the Sarawak government to move a motion to debate the amendment of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution at the State Assembly (DUN) sitting that starts on Monday (April 29).
Sapa echoed many Sarawakians’ call on politicians to stop blaming each other but to unite as Sarawakians and to seek solutions to issues pertaining to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Sapa is also demanding DUN to review key areas and come up with solutions for the benefit of future generations. The key issues are as follows:
- Full autonomy for the National Registration Dept.
2. Petroleum Development Act 1974. Sapa volunteer lawyers have found the
agreement to be loosely written and that this Act was made while Malaysia was
under the State of Emergency.
3. Territorial Sea Act 2012. It is unconstitutional if no law was passed at Sarawak
DUN.Sapa demands that the state legislature review this matter and make a clear
stance of what is right and wrong.
4. To review the census carried out by the UN on Sarawakians’ view in joining the
Federation of Malaysia in 1963 as it is said to misrepresent Sarawakians’ real
interest. Hence, solve the issue by carrying a new survey across Sarawak to see if
Sarawakians are happy to stay in the Federation of Malaysia and to see what
Sarawakian rakyats are unhappy about. Then with the data, pursue solutions with
the federal government.
5. To review the changes in Parliamentary representation as in 1963,Malaya did not
hold two-thirds of total MPs in Parliament, but they do at present. This lopsided situation is not fair to Sarawak as a partner in the Federation of Malaysia.
6. Sapa wants DUN Sarawak to propose the corrected version of the Federal
Constitution with reference to the MA63 and to officially recognise that Sarawak is
a Country (Negara) and not a state (Negeri). Officially recognise that the
Federation of Malaysia is formed by 3 sovereign countries of Malaya, Sarawak,
Sabah and back then Singapore. Sarawak is not a state under the Federation of
Malaya.
Meanwhile, Chai advised those coming for their gathering tomorrow to bring their own floor mat, drinking water and to maintain the cleanliness of public areas.
“There will be live sape music and a short information session from our legal team on the findings with regards to Sarawak’s’ rights and position at the current moment,” he said. — DayakDaily
