KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Central Youth secretary-general Milton Foo said GPS MPs who did not vote for the amendment Bill of MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963) did not mean that they were not supportive of the amendment to the constitution.
“It was just that they were not agreeable to the amendment which was done hastily including its content during the second reading,” he said in a press conference with chairman of SUPP Youth Central, Michael Tiang, at SUPP headquarters here, yesterday.
Foo also asked why it was so difficult to include “MA63” to Article 1(2) as proposed by GPS MPs during the second reading.
“Why did Pakatan Harapan (PH) keep talking about the restoration of equal partners or equal status yet refused to take up GPS MPs’ suggestion to have the words ‘MA63’ to be incorporated in Article 1(2)?
“Why PH MPs during the second reading even refused to debate on the inclusion of MA63 to the Federation Constitution, including Article 160(2) on the definition of ‘federation’ which refers only to the Malaya Agreement 1957 which has no relevancy at all to Sarawak and Sabah, with MA63 not even mentioned in any part or provisions of the Federal Constitution,” he said.
Foo also felt that a consensus should have been reached first in the Special Cabinet Committee for MA63 which includes representatives from both Sarawak and Sabah governments.
“It must be based on mutual respect and full sincerity from all three entities. The amendment is meant to restore which point. Is it to the Federal Constitution1963 or MA63?
“That’s why GPS MPs insisted that the words ‘pursuant to MA63’ be incorporated to Article 1(2) to ensure the equal partner status among the three and to avoid further confusion arising from the definition of Federation under Article 160(2) which refers to MA57.”
He also called on PH to stop politicking to gain mileage.
“Do what is right and equitable for the true restoration of Sarawak’s status in Malaysia,” he said.
