“Our ‘Sarawak First’ spirit must be reflected in any matter that we deal with,” Batang Sadong Nancy Shukri said.
Speaking to FMT, she said she was confident that de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong had learnt a lesson from the previous attempt in April, where the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed for the amendments.
Only 138 MPs of the 221 in the house at the time voted. Of the 59 lawmakers who abstained from voting, 18 were from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
GPS claimed that “MA63” was not mentioned in the Federal Constitution and proposed its own amendment towards this end. The proposed changes read:
“The states in the federation shall be, pursuant to the Malaysia Agreement 1963, (a) Malaya (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Selangor, and Terengganu); and (b) the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak.”
Nancy said Liew should understand the sensitivities of Sarawakians.
“He should refer to our previous debates,” she added. “I look forward to seeing the amended provisions.”
Meanwhile, Muara Tuang assemblyman Idris Buang said it would be good if the proposed amendments included the suggestions by the Sarawak government as contained in a motion passed by the state legislative assembly this year.
“Among the proposals was to describe Sabah and Sarawak in Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution as ‘states in the federation pursuant to MA63’.”
He told FMT: “Article 160 must also be amended, particularly the definition of the federation, which was established pursuant to MA63. If these elements are met, there should be no qualms about having the new amendments passed in the coming parliamentary session next year.”
Liew had said that a new bill was expected to be tabled in Parliament to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with Malaya.
This followed a meeting between Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal and Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari in Putrajaya on Monday.
Liew said the attorneys-general of the federal government and Sabah and Sarawak were looking at the proposed amendments, including their wording.
Once the attorneys-general agreed on the wording of the revised bill, he would bring it to the Cabinet for approval, Liew added.
“I’m hopeful GPS will give its fullest support as Abang Johari, together with Shafie, have been instrumental in this second move,” he said
Meanwhile, state tourism minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the PH government’s sincerity in restoring the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with the peninsula would be reflected in the amendment bill.