KUALA LUMPUR – After receiving the assent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on January 19, the constitutional amendments related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have come into effect today, said Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
In a statement released today, Wan Junaidi said that amendments involve Articles 1(2), 160(2), 161A(6), and 161A(7) of the federal constitution.
“These significant amendments have long been awaited by the people of Sabah and Sarawak as the changes under Article 1(2) and Article 160(2) clarify the terms of the federation in line with MA63.
“Amendments to Article 161A(6) and Article 161A(7), meanwhile, allocate that the definition of original races in Sarawak are no longer subject to provisions under the federal constitution, and can instead be determined by the Sarawak government,” the Santubong MP said.
On December 14 last year, the Dewan Rakyat successfully passed constitutional amendments giving greater recognition to MA63.
The third reading in the Dewan Rakyat saw 199 MPs voting in favour of the amendments with 21 absentees, with none of the MPs objecting to passing the amendments.
The constitutional amendments seek to restore the original status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the federation of Malaysia, defining the terms of the federation to include MA63.
Sabah and Sarawak had been downgraded to mere states in the constitutional amendment made in 1976, which many East Malaysian MPs claim was a violation of the federal constitution as stated in article 161E. – The Vibes, February 11, 2022
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