KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tuaran-PH) has proposed that Malaysia Day celebrations be held not only in Sabah and Sarawak once the constitutional amendments are passed in Parliament.
The Upko president said the passing of the bill would codify the legal commencement date of the birth of Malaysia – instead of September 16, 1963 being treated as an administrative event.
He said that steps need to be taken to strengthen the annual observance of Malaysia Day.
“As a first step, the Malaysia Day celebration must be expanded, and not just be held in Sabah and Sarawak as it has been since it started in 2011.
“I am proposing Malaysia Day to be held in 2022 in Kuala Lumpur. It is more apt if it is done in Merdeka Stadium,” he said during the debate on the constitutional amendments in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Tangau said many have been waiting for the amendments. He noted that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was then prime minister, recognised Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the federation during the Malaysia Day celebration held in 2018.
He also proposed the restoration of state rights, which would include endowing the governors of Sabah and Sarawak with the authority to appoint judicial commissioners as stated in the original Article 122 of the federal constitution.
“Aside from this, Tuaran is also seeking from the federal government to implement the devolution of powers or the decentralisation of governance involving all the states in this country,” he said.
“We must realise that there is over-centralisation of power and governance in Putrajaya and this is not healthy, seeing the people in this country becoming the real losers,” he said. – The Vibes, December 14, 2021
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