KUCHING: The definition of the word “Federation” under Article 160 of the Federal Constitution is incorrect and contradicts the spirit of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), as it signifies “The Federation of Malaya and not Malaysia”.
This is one of the key reasons Members of Parliament (MPs) of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) decided to abstain from voting for the proposed Bill to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution, tabled for the second reading in Parliament last Tuesday.
“The existing definition of the word Federation is wrong and must be amended together,” said Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Datuk Idris Buang.
In addition, Idris said the Bill was not at all beneficial and failed to acknowledge the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partner or equal party to the MA63, he added in response to the defeat of the PH Government to get the required two thirds majority in support of the constitutional amendment Bill.
“In short, the Bill is incomplete, very raw and empty of content or essence as truly aspired by the people of Sabah and Sarawak. It appears to be a half-hearted attempt and done on the motivation of PH’s political appetite … a mere political ploy,” he claimed.
He said the PH government’s effort in tabling the Bill was clearly not transparent and insincere towards the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
For easy reference, Idris, who is also Muara Tuang assemblyman, said the definition of “Federation” under Article 160 meant “a Federation that was established under the Federation of the Malay States Agreement 1957 (MA57).
The definition of the Federation should be clearly spelt out to mean “Federation that was established under the Malaysia Agreement 1963”, he said.
“Because of this wrong definition, which was stated in the Constitution, the Bill amendment on Article 1(2) is incomplete, meaningless and hence fail to get the two thirds majority support it required to be passed,” he added.
