KOTA KINABALU – Putrajaya plans to table bills in Parliament to reinstate the rights of Sabah and Sarawak within 100 days, promised Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) said that the government, with the assistance of the Attorney-General’s Chambers, is looking at amending several critical legal provisions in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Given that this is one of his portfolio’s top priorities, he said, he plans to complete the process of tabling the bills in the lower house as part of his 100-day key performance indicator (KPI).
“We have already laid out a comprehensive execution plan for this, and according to our timeline, we are on schedule. We are optimistic that we will be able to complete this within the 100 days given.”
Nevertheless, he explained, the amendments would require a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament to be passed, and therefore need extensive engagement with key stakeholders – the MPs, as well as the public.
“This is basically what I am doing now: making my rounds to see leaders and top government officials in Sabah and Sarawak to explain this to them.
“This is an important agenda for us and I hope the people in Sabah and Sarawak, regardless of their political views, will support this,” he told the press after visiting the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex here today.
The Santubong lawmaker’s major areas of focus for his 100-day KPI include limiting the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years, preparing the bill for a third Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker, and the MA63 issue.
Wan Junaidi said he is optimistic that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is committed to the development of Sabah and Sarawak, which is one of the priority areas under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
He said this constituted the much-awaited political will to push through the transformation agenda of these two states, which would accelerate development and help improve the people’s quality of life.
“The hard truth is that even after having achieved independence for 58 years, more than 40% of the people in Borneo are still living in rural areas, lacking basic facilities and infrastructure, namely connectivity, communication, electricity, education, as well as healthcare.
“I hope under 12MP, more development and progress will take place in Sabah and Sarawak so that we will be able to enjoy the same facilities and infrastructure as the people in Semenanjung,” he added. – The Vibes, October 2, 2021
