Tiang: what happen to PH promise to restore Sarawak in line with MA63?

suppadmin | August 21, 2018

“If not within the first 100 days, then what is the timeline for Pakatan Harapan government to restore Sarawak’s position to its rightful place in line with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63)?” A question posed by Michael Tiang, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Central Youth Chief who is also a political secretary to the Chief Minister of Sarawak in his press statement today.

According to Tiang, the first session of the 14th Parliament session had been in sitting for 20 days and was ended last week. “Nevertheless throughout the whole session, we haven’t heard any news that PH MPs tabling motions to restore Sarawak and Sabah position in accordance to MA63 by amending the federal constitution. Particularly, PH Sarawak chief Chong Chieng Jen needs to explain to the people of Sarawak, are the PH MPs going to table a motion to amend the Federal Constitution to restore Sarawak’s position and status as one of the three founding state for the federation of Malaysia, and not one of the 13 states as presently provided in the constitution.

“To return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded by the MA63 is one of the pillars of promises in the PH manifesto,” said Tiang. DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng during his visit to Sabah on May 1st., this year, promised that PH would immediately move to amend the Federal constitution to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s position as equal partners in Malaysia once PH has become the government of the day.”

“The PH Government has been in powers for 100 days and the Dewan Rakyat has also just completed its 20 days of sittings. Yet we have not seen any PH leaders, especially those DAP and PKR leaders from Sarawak taking initiatives to set the promise to restore Sarawak’s position into motion during this period of time in power. We therefore demand a timeline to be given by PH Sarawak as to when Sarawak is to be given back the equal position as the founding partner to the Federation of Malaysia, as the people of Sarawak can no longer accept any delays, changes or excuses not to implement from the new government they voted to carry out exactly this mission.

“We are very much concerned after we’ve heard from Rafizi, the vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat that once Anwar Ibrahim succeeds Tun Dr. Mahathir to become the 8th Prime Minister, he would immediately return the rights under MA63 to Sabah. Does that mean this can’t be done when the federal government is presently under Tun Dr. Mahathir? We know all about politics, and God knows when can Anwar Ibrahim take over the helm from Tun Mahathir?”

SUPP therefore reminded PH not to find more excuses to divert attention from their promise to restore Sarawak’s position acccorded by MA63. Sarawak PH leaders should set this task as one of their top priority since restoring Sarawak’s position was so critical that PH made it as one of the pillars of promises in their own Buku Harapan.