KUCHING, Oct 2: A comprehensive execution plan is in place to initiate the tabling of Bills to amend several critical legal provisions to reinstate the rights of Sarawak and Sabah as stated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) within 100 days since the new Cabinet was announced.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar emphasised that this is one of his Ministry’s top priorities and targets to complete the process to table the Bills in Parliament on the matter as part of his 100-day key performance index (KPI).
“We have already laid out a comprehensive execution plan for this and according to our timeline, we are on schedule. We are optimistic of being able to complete this within the 100 days deadline,” he said.
However, he pointed out that the Bills would require a two-third majority vote in Parliament in order for it to be passed and as such, it requires extensive engagement exercise with key stakeholders, namely the Members of Parliament (MPs) as well as the people.
Wan Junaidi is now in Sabah to engage with the State government and a few known claimants for Sabah rights group on the proposed first phase of the Constitutional amendments.
“This is basically what I am doing now, making my rounds to see leaders, top government officials in Sabah and Sarawak to explain to them about this. This is an important agenda for us and I hope the people in Sabah and Sarawak, regardless of their political views, will support this,” he told the press after visiting Kota Kinabalu Court Complex today.
He is optimistic that the current government under the leadership of Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, is committed to the development of Sabah and Sarawak, which is a priority area under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
“This serves as a much awaited political will to push through the transformation agenda of these two States, which would accelerate development and help improve the quality of life of the people.
“The hard truth is, even after having achieved independence for 58 years, more than 40 per cent of the people in Borneo are still living in rural areas, lacking in basic facilities and infrastructure such as connectivity, communication, electricity, education as well as healthcare,” he added.
Wan Junaidi hopes that more development and progress will take place in Sabah and Sarawak under 12MP so that the people will be able to enjoy the same facilities and infrastructure as the people in Peninsula Malaysia.
The ministry, as part of its 100-day KPI, is focusing on transformation initiatives in the government, parliament and examining the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The four main areas of focus to be undertaken by the ministry are to complete the process to table a Bill of limitation on the Prime Minister’s tenure to 10 years; to complete the process to table a Bill to allow the appointment of a third deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker; and to complete the process to table some of the critical Bills to look into the rights of people in Sabah and Sarawak under MA63. — DayakDaily
