KOTA KINABALU – There should no longer be obstacles in recognising Sabah and Sarawak as “regions” in the Federation of Malaysia, following the historic signing yesterday of a memorandum of understanding between the government and opposition.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Port Dickson-PH) said in Parliament today that the constitutional amendment to recognise East Malaysian states as regions has been brought into the discussion in the bipartisan cooperation.
“We requested that the government acknowledge the constitutional amendment that would recognise the two states as regions, and they acknowledged.
“I don’t think this will be a problem any longer. If it materialises, it will bring about great progress. As was mentioned earlier, this is among the parliamentary reforms and the readiness to work together for the people, including those in Sabah and Sarawak.”
He was responding to Ahmad Hassan (Papar-Warisan), who asked whether it is possible for the Dewan Rakyat to pass a bill to restore Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Federation.
Ahmad recalled the failed attempt to amend Article 1(2) on April 9, 2019 after it did not secure the required two-thirds majority in the lower house, which would have otherwise been the start of the restoration of state rights as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
The bill that downgraded Sabah and Sarawak’s status as equal partners was passed in Parliament in 1976. – The Vibes, September 14, 2021
