By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, April 18: Sarawak de facto Law Minister Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali today told Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak chairman Baru Bian in no uncertain terms that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) lawmakers were “not fools” when they abstained from voting the bill to amend the Federal Constitution on April 9.
She stressed that Sarawak had wanted the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to insert ‘pursuant to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA 63)’ in the amendment, but it was not done.
“The thing is, why did they (PH government) not want to insert ‘pursuant to MA 63’ as requested if they are so sincere and meant well? We know very well we can’t rely on mere words when it comes to our rights,” Sharifah Hasidah told DayakDaily here today.
The Semariang lawmaker asserted that GPS’ decision to abstain to vote for the amendment was purely done for Sarawak.
“The accusation or innuendo that we colluded or collaborated with Umno and PAS is preposterous and wrong. We are not fools, and we are strong and smart enough to determine our own destiny,” she said.
She opined that by now, PH should realise why GPS abstained from voting for the bill.
“If they were sincere, the bill should be complete and holistic, and they should insert ‘pursuant to MA63’,” Sharifah Hasidah reiterated.
She was responding to the statement made by Baru, who said GPS MPs were not defenders of Sarawak rights and that they had colluded with both Umno and PAS to abstain from voting the bill.
The bill was not passed as the federal government only managed to secure 138 votes, which was 10 votes short of the required two-thirds majority support. Eighteen GPS MPs, along with 41 others, especially from Umno and PAS, abstained from voting. — DayakDaily
