All 61 assemblymen who were present in the 71-seat legislature today gave their support to the motion moved by Land Development Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing, urging Putrajaya to completely implement the Malaysia Agreement of 1963.
Article VII of the agreement ensures that the rights of the state be protected through "all the recommendations in the Inter-governmental Committee (IGC) Report for the advancement and safeguard of the special interests of the state and the people's of Sarawak".
The mandate gives the state government powers to negotiate with Putrajaya on realigning federal policies on education, health and official language "so that they are consistent with the constitutional safeguards and the terms of the IGC Report".
The lawmakers also gave the mandate to the state government under Tan Sri Adenan Satem to review all federal legislation, including to amend or repeal laws that affected the state's rights to its natural resources.
These laws include the Territorial Sea Act 2012 that limited the state's territorial waters to within three nautical miles of the coast, the Continental Shelf Act and the Petroleum Act 1966, that could affect the state's claim to revenue from petroleum resources.
The review can also include federal government decisions or policies if they are found to be “inconsistent with the aspirations of the people of the state as noted in the Cobbold Commission Report and the IGC Report”.
Masing said the mandate would also be used to initiate a review of the grants and other revenues assigned to the state.
Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah, assistant minister of housing, said there was a lot of unhappiness among Sarawakians over unfulfilled guarantees in the Malaysia Agreement and an erosion of rights through various federal government policies.
Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen blamed “sleeping” Barisan Nasional MPs from Sarawak for failing their duty to the state and allowing federal policies which denied the state its rights under the agreement.
Chong cited the failure of BN MPs from Sarawak to stop the passing of the National Security Council Bill, which he said “could be used against the state later if we continue to push for our rights”.
By Desmond Davidson
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