KUCHING: “Sarawak is not a state, it is a ‘wilayah’ (region).”
This was declared by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who openly showed his recognition of Sarawak as one of the three regions of Malaysia as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government acknowledged a proposal by the Sarawak government to amend Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution on the definition of the phrase ‘Federation of Malaysia’.
“Yes, we (PN) acknowledge Sarawak as a region. However, for an amendment to be made on the Constitution, this government at present would not be able to do that without the majority support of the members of Parliament.
“But after the general election, if we are able to win big by more than two-thirds majority, then it will become an easy path for us to do the amendment as soon as possible. You have my word,” he said.
He was addressing audience at a townhall session ‘Wawasan Kemakmuran Bersama 2030@Sarawak’ held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today (April 1).
The prime minister assured that it was an obligation of the PN government to ensure that everyone gets a fair deal under the sun of Malaysia. Such commitment was reflected through the establishment of the Sabah and Sarawak Affairs special portfolio at the federal level.
“The government has also established the MA63 Special Council (MKMA 63) to ensure that the fair and equitable rights of Malaysians in Sarawak can be properly preserved and protected.
“Currently, through the MKMA63, the federal government is examining matters relating to the rights of Sarawak, with some progress already being made through the role of the three working committees recommending to MKMA63 on proposed solutions to specific issues related to legislation, state security and socio-economy.
“This is done in line with the rights of the states of Sabah and Sarawak within the national legal framework. I would like to state here that the federal government assesses all claims fairly and I guarantee that the rights of Sarawak will continue to be protected in accordance with the Federal Constitution,” he added.
