The Malaysian Insight

IT will be a long time before Sabah and Sarawak get another shot at regaining equal status in the Federation of Malaysia, said Liew Vui Keong today.

The de facto law minister told The Malaysian Insight that the states missed their chance to “set things right” yesterday.

“It was a golden opportunity for Sabahans and Sarawakians to have the states’ status restored after a 43-year wait.

“I don’t know when such a chance will come by again. Maybe in another 60 years.”

The bill on the proposed amendment to Article 1(2) of the constitution was defeated in its second reading in Parliament yesterday, falling short of 10 votes to secure a two-thirds majority.

The bill required 148 votes to pass, but only 138 MPs voted in support, while 59 abstained.

Liew said no fresh bill will be tabled unless the 59 lawmakers who abstained from voting give their support.

He said he had personally met the lawmakers and sent them the first draft of the bill a month before it was tabled for the first reading on Thursday.

He said among the concerns addressed were Sarawak MPs’ insistence that the words “in pursuant to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)” be included in the proposed amendment.

Liew said the attorney-general told him that it was not advisable to include the words, as the signatories to MA63 included Singapore, which left the federation in 1965.

The minister said such wording would “complicate the spirit of MA63”, adding that the deal was included in the proposed amendment’s explanatory notes, and already part of the constitution.

“Various issues were explained, including the call for a parliamentary select committee. It was explained that there is already a steering committee on Sabah and Sarawak rights, which is chaired by the prime minister and includes the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak.”

The prime minister, in his winding-up speech, also agreed for a parliamentary select committee to look into the implementation of the states’ rights, said Liew.

“I’m not sure why they opposed the bill. We were trying to reinstate the original words used in 1963 that was amended in 1976.”

He added that restoring Sabah and Sarawak’s status is the first step towards regaining their rights. – April 10, 2019.