KUCHING, Sept 17: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government can count on MPs from Sarawak and Sabah for support to amend the Federal Constitution to return the rights of Sarawak and Sabah, said Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
He added that the Federal Constitution needed to be amended to reverse the decision made in 1976 that downgraded Sarawak and Sabah into the 12th and 13th states.
“To amend the constitution requires a two-thirds majority. While this is correct, it does not mean that the PH government needs to win the two-thirds majority in Parliament to amend the constitution.
“They can always invite all the MPs who are not with PH for a discussion and to strike an agreement for support.
“This has been done in all developed countries in order to get policy or law passed by legislature when there is no majority,” said Wan Junaidi, who is with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
He opined that such a practice had not been carried out before, but he believed Sarawak and Sabah MPs would definitely support such an amendment.
With regards to the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), Wan Junaidi reckoned both the parties would have no qualms about returning the rights to Sarawak and Sabah.
“PH must discuss and have a dialogue with them. Sarawak MPs surely could assist to convince them.
“If they (BN and PAS MPs) do not support, then they must forever be silent on the issue. Sarawak and Sabah will never trust them again. PH must give it a try,” said Wan Junaidi.
During the Malaysia Day Celebration in Sabah yesterday (Sept 16), Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that he was willing to return Sarawak and Sabah’s status as equal partners to Peninsular Malaysia in the formation of Malaysia.
This has given rise to heated discussions, and many have voiced out that the federal government could realise that promise by reversing the amendment to the Federal Constitution that downgraded Sarawak and Sabah into the 12th and 13th states as well as repealing some of the laws that ripped away Sarawak and Sabah’s rights. — DayakDaily
