KUCHING: State Reform Party Sarawak (STAR) president Lina Soo said the defeat of the Bill to amend Article 1(2) of Federal Constitution was expected and described it as a landmark victory for Sarawakians and Sabahans.
According to her, the political maturity of Sarawakians and Sabahans has reached new heights unseen since the formation of Malaysia.
“For Sarawak, such esprit d’corp and nationalist sentiments have not been witnessed since the Anti-Cession of 1940s, when Sarawak was annexed by Britain to become a Crown colony,” she said.
The people’s level of awareness of political issues affecting the future of their respective states was very much evident, she added.
Soo said the people had voiced out loud and clear that any constitutional amendment(s) without adhering to the principle of MA63 must be rejected altogether.
She insisted that any constitutional amendment which affected the political position of Sarawak and Sabah must first be brought before the State Legislative Assembly for legitimacy.
“Always seek the consensus of NGOs, civil societies and unrepresented Sarawak political parties to give voice to the people,” she added.
Soo said the federal government should by now recognise and take heed that Sarawakians and Sabahans were no pushovers.
“It is clear the people of Sarawak and Sabah have displayed their strong resolve to band together to secure their rights and sovereignty under the rule of law, be it national law, state law and/or international law.
“When circumstances dictate, the people of Sarawak and Sabah will not hesitate to unite to pursue all rights, including their inalienable right to self-determination to decide their political, economic and social future, always upon the constitutional, democratic and peaceful platform,” she added.
