New government should restore status of equal partners for Sabah, Sarawak

suppadmin | September 18, 2018

Piasau State Assemblyman, Datuk Sebastian Ting welcomes the statement of Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir who said in Sabah on Sunday that Pakatan government would restore the status of equal partners to Sabah and Sarawak but would wait until PH regained two-third majority in Parliament.

The Prime Minister said that this was part of the process that would be implemented once the review on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) has been completed.

Rather than waiting for PH to get two-third majority, Ting said the matter should be brought to Parliament for amendment and allowed the MPs to vote for it.

“I am sure that all MPS from both divides in Sabah and Sarawak will vote positively for the amendment as this is what Sabahans and Sarawakians are fighting for.”

Ting who is Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Secretary general, said SUPP hopes that the review of MA 63 will not take too long and should be completed as soon as possible as Sarawakians and Sabahans are anxiously waiting and indeed shall be looking forward to have their rights back as contained in MA63

He called on Sarawak and Sabah MPs to take the proactive action to table the proposed Amendment of the Federal Constitution.

If the PH-led Federal government does not table this amendment Bill in the coming Parliament sitting then any of the GPS MPs from Sarawak can do so. “I am sure that all MPs from Sarawak and Sabah will support the proposed amendment since it is good for Sarawak and Sabah.”

It is our hope that such Constitutional amendment can be completed as soon as possible so Sarawak and Sabah can get its proper respect and be treated as equal partners to the Peninsular as intended in the Malaysia Agreement.

From what Tun Mahathir had said, Ting pointed out that, it indeed reflected a scenario that Sabah and Sarawak were not treated as equal partners since formation of Malaysia in 1963. “I must say that indeed Sabahans and Sarawakians felt so and continue to have this feeling of being unfairly treated all these years.”

This is likely the reason/basis of unhappiness and to certain extend anger against Federal Government by the people of Sabah and Sarawak. This unhappiness and emotions are always very high during this September month of each year.

Some Sabahans and Sarawakians go to the street each year on the 16th September for a peaceful and orderly walk about.

While pending the full study on MA 63, Cobbold Commission, Inter Governmental Commission Report and Malaysia Act 1963 ( Chapter 35) and other relevant minutes of meetings, leading to the formation of Malaysia, Ting hopes that the first right thing to do is to amend Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution to state that Malaysia shall consist of

1. Federal States of Malaya,

2. Sabah and

3. Sarawak.

Ting pointed out that when Malaysia was formed on the 16th September 1963, Malaysia was stated as

A. Federated States of Malaya.

B. North Borneo ( as Sabah was known at that time)

C. Sarawak and

D. Singapore ( which was later separated in 1965)

Calling for the facts of the formation of Malaysia to be properly and accurately recorded so that our younger generation know of the history, Ting said the most next important thing is to amend and change the present History books. The future generation must know the real history of Malaysia and not one that is totally wrong, and this has been going on for the past 55 years. “The Minister of Education should be proactive and brave enough to take this up immediately and on urgent basis”. he said.

Ting believed that with such development, Sabah and Sarawak wil be given appropriate attention to improve the basic infrastructures which are so lagging behind those in Peninsula Malaya, amongst a horde of other rights that should be restored.

SUPP again wishes all Malaysians a Happy Malaysia Day with Peace, Unity and Harmony to all of us.