KUCHING, April 1: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) said Pakatan Harapan (PH) is being unfair to Sarawakians and its MPs by keeping details of the proposed amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution under wraps.
Its Youth secretary-general, Milton Foo, said there were only a few days left before the bill is tabled in Parliament, but the people of Sarawak remained kept in the dark.
“This is absolutely unfair to Sarawak. It proves that the MPs from Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak fail to speak or voice out for Sarawakians in the Parliament,” said Foo.
He singled out PH Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who is also Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, for not been protecting Sarawak’s rights but giving in to his Malayan ‘masters’.
“The chairman of PH Sarawak, YB Chong Chieng Jen, has not only failed to explain to the people of Sarawak the content of the proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution, (but) instead (he) asked the MPs from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to refrain from disrupting and give their full support to the proposed constitutional amendment,” he said in a statement today.
Foo said the state government was more concerned about the substance rather than form and restoration of rights in the proposed amendment.
“Yet, Chong describes it as ‘disruption’ and ‘sabotage’. What if the constitutional amendment is unfavourable to Sarawak, thus jeopardising Sarawak’s interests? It is an affront to logic for GPS MPs to support the amendment blindly if this is the outcome of the amendment.
“Chong’s remarks have proven that he does not represent and stand in the position of Sarawakians to safeguard the interests of Sarawak. Instead, he represents Malaya, to whom he has all along shown obedience and acquiescence.”
He challenged Chong to reveal to the public the details of the proposed bill.
“As a Member of Parliament, Chong, who is also a deputy minister, why is it so difficult for him to get or obtain the content of the bill for the people of Sarawak?
“Or is even Chong himself kept clueless by his Malayan leaders, without knowing the contents of such amendment?
“I challenge Chong and PH MPs from Sarawak to make known to the public, especially Sarawakians, the content of such constitutional amendments as soon as possible so that the people can do review or comment on it.”
Foo stressed that the stance of SUPP Youth was to not compromise Sarawak’s interests and sovereignty.
“The stance of SUPP Youth Central remains resolute in that we shall not compromise on and will always fight against any political attempt via constitutional amendment or alteration in disguise which in fact erodes the sovereignty of Sarawak and harms the interests of the people of Sarawak.”
The proposed amendment, if passed, is expected to give back the status of Sarawak and Sabah as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). Hence, it is expected to receive a lot of attention because the ruling coalition does not command a two-thirds majority in Parliament. — DayakDaily
