Too many U-turns in less than a year, Bill was last straw that broke the camel’s back: Masing
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said Putrajaya could no longer be depended on to keep its promises.
He was yesterday commenting on Sarawak MPs’ abstention from voting on the Constitutional Amendment Bill to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with the Federation of Malaya as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
Masing pointed out that the many U-turns that the Pakatan Harapan government made in its decisions on Sabah and Sarawak in less than a year after being in power were examples of its lack of sincerity in administrating the nation.
“Thus, it is only right that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Umno and some Sabah MPs abstained from supporting the Bill.
“The Bill is being pushed from top to bottom in a hurried manner. It should have been from bottom up with all details being trashed by a select committee, as suggested by Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi, after which the Federal Constitution amendment will be tabled. In that manner, it will be a holistic approach,” he said.
Masing added that the Prime Minister had said that revenue earned would be divided among all the 13 states in accordance to their needs.
“But something is wrong here as we are not one of the 13 states when MA63 was signed.
“Sabah and Sarawak are the biggest contributors to the national revenue so there is no reason for us to share with Malaya after it ‘stole’ our wealth to develop Malaya and left us behind.
“We want to be on par in infrastructure development before we share our wealth with the Malayan states.
“MA63 was the basis for the formation of Malaysia. Any review from the original agreement requires further renegotiation between Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah. Agreements must be reached before the political ‘marriage’ can be consummated.
“Sarawak should not be fooled twice by Putrajaya after being cheated for 55 years!” he said.
