She highlighted how under the agreement, Sabah and Sarawak would become equal partners with the Federation of Malaya in merging to become the new nation Malaysia, and not as one of the component states as stipulated in the original Article 1 of the Federal Constitution.
“The distribution of the country’s wealth and for Sabah and Sarawak is meant to be greater than that of other states in the Peninsular and the two states are meant to have greater autonomy,” she said.
Speaking at the G25 public forum at the Ideal Convention Centre (IDCC) here today, Farida said one of the points in MA63 also specified that both Sabah and Sarawak would not have any official state religion.
“But now, if RUU355 is passed, it will affect Sabah and Sarawak as well.”
RUU355 refers to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s bill seeking more stringent punishments for criminal offences committed under shariah law.
Farida said it was up to the people of Sabah and Sarawak to reclaim their rights.
“These things need to be rectified as these are your rights. If you want to make changes, you’re going to have to do it at the polls.”