Amendment To Federal Constitution - What Could Have Been.

 Amendment To Federal Constitution - What Could Have Been.

Sarawakians’ mood last Friday was noticeably downcast. They woke up to Sunday, 24th Oct 2021, reeling in disappointment.

The caption of a front page news in the Borneo Post screamed ‘ Postponed, not withdrawn’, in reference to the stalled proposed Bill to amend the federal constitution to make it completely in line with the MA63. The New Sarawak Tribune issue of the same day did 

Sarawakians and Sabahans were earlier told by the de facto Minister for Law & Parliament Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that the Malaysian federal cabinet has agreed in principle with the proposed Bill. Sarawakians and Sabahans were also told that MPs from this 2 Borneon states were briefed on the proposed Bill. They recalled that there was no objections recorded from these MPs. As far as Sarawakians and Sabahans were concerned, it was good to go and they were finally going to see justice done to them before Oct 2021 go out.

The thoughts that pierced their psyche were: the GPS of Sarawak and the PN federal government have failed them, just as they have failed on countless times and occasions in the past, when they were collectively called Barisan Nasional.

They recalled that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, in their short 22 months stint as federal government managed to resolve almost all the thorny issues brought up by the Sarawak and Sabah government. Of the 21 issues brought up, 17 were resolved. It was just a matter of the Sarawak and Sabah state government to take the necessary actions to put into effect the agreement reached.

The remaining 4 issues that were still work-in-progress (not yet agreed on by the federal government) relates O&G matters and the Territorial Sea Act 2012.

The people of the 2 Borneon states recalled that the PH government also tabled a government Bill to amend the Federal Constitution, also to make it in line with the spirit of the MA63 but the Bill failed because GPS MPs knowingly and brazenly abstain from voting for the amendment. They had wanted the Bill to fail. Why they had decided that Sarawakians and Sabahans should be denied their legitimate rights, only they know.

The message that I want to share with my fellow Sarawakians and also with Sabahans is this: Let us together wake up from our collective slumber, recognise GPS for what they really are and show them the exit door in the coming PRN. Enough is enough.