It’s not just PH or GPS but a fight by all Sarawakians, says Masing
KUCHING: Chong Chieng Jen’s crediting Pakatan Harapan for efforts to reclaim Sarawak and Sabah as equal partners in the Federation of Malaysia does not go down well with Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing.
“That’s wrong,” said Masing, when asked to comment on the state PH chief’s recent comment that it was PH that fought for the restoration of Sarawak and Sabah’s status as equal partners and not Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
The Parti Rakyat Sarawak president said how could it be PH’s fight alone when it was former BN Sarawak that was pressing for the revisit of MA63 even before the 14th General Election (GE14)?
According to Masing, fighting for the return of the state’s rights as enshrined under MA63 is every Sarawakian’s effort and that if BN started it, and GPS continued with it, now that Putrajaya is under PH, it is only right that PH should help restore those rights by tabling the amendment bill.
Masing said as of now, until there is an amendment bill and that bill is passed and made into law, it is too early to celebrate.
He said it is premature to speak of any measure of success yet when our rights have not yet been returned and all we hear is more meetings to iron out differences and ‘let us study’ statements.
He said the rights as enshrined in MA63 are many, if the bill is not comprehensive it cannot be satisfactory to Sarawak and Sabah.
“What is very important to Sarawak and Sabah is to get the full compliance of MA63. Nothing less, nothing more,” Masing told the New Sarawak Tribune.
“Therefore, no point claiming credit when we have yet to see how far we are ready go in this matter,” he added.
