Dr. Jeffrey who is the president of Parti Solidariti (STARSabah) and MP for Keningau suggested that the wordings of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution should not be simply repeat the 1963 version prior to the unlawful amendment in 1976 but updated to reflect the true status of Sabah and Sarawak as truly equal partners to Malaya.
Dr. Jeffrey said, “If the correct status of Sabah and Sarawak are to be reflected as equal partners and not as a State under Malaya, Article 1(2) to be amended should state:
1(2)
Malaysia shall comprise of:
a) Malaya consisting of 11 states namely, ……………… …………..;
b) Sabah
consisting of 6 Residencies/Divisions namely..................., …………………….
including Labuan; and
c) Sarawak
consisting of 9 Residencies (Divisions) namely..............”
By this correction and updating, the true status and size of the partners can be reflected more correctly because under each Residency/Division are administrative Distrcts/local governments. This situation also applies to the states in Malaya though many of their states are even smaller than many districts in Sabah and Sarawak.
The district of Keningau alone is bigger than the size of Kedah, Malacca and Pulau Pinang combined. Yet, Keningau has only 1 Member of Parliament shared with the District of Tambunan and 2 State Assemblypersons compared to 34 MPs and 104 Assemblypersons for Kedah, Malacca and Pulau Pinang. Yet, under the updated revision, the Interior Residency of Keningau will be even larger as it includes the Districts of Tambunan, Tenom, and Pensiangan and the sub-District of Sook.
“Hence, corrections of the constitutional wordings must be included in the proposed amendment of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to ensure justice to Sabah and Sarawak” added Dr. Jeffrey.
Furthermore, there should be sincerity in the proposed amendments and all the proposed amendments for the restoration of the Rights of Sabah and Sarawak should be tabled at the same time instead of piece-meal amendments unless there is a hidden agenda not to return some of these Rights.
After all, the MA63 Cabinet Committee is scheduled to complete their tasks to review Sabah and Sarawak’s Rights by July 2019 and all the proposed amendments could be tabled in a single amendment to the Federal Constitution in the October 2019 Parliamentary session.
The district of Keningau alone is bigger than the size of Kedah, Malacca and Pulau Pinang combined. Yet, Keningau has only 1 Member of Parliament shared with the District of Tambunan and 2 State Assemblypersons compared to 34 MPs and 104 Assemblypersons for Kedah, Malacca and Pulau Pinang. Yet, under the updated revision, the Interior Residency of Keningau will be even larger as it includes the Districts of Tambunan, Tenom, and Pensiangan and the sub-District of Sook.
“Hence, corrections of the constitutional wordings must be included in the proposed amendment of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to ensure justice to Sabah and Sarawak” added Dr. Jeffrey.
Furthermore, there should be sincerity in the proposed amendments and all the proposed amendments for the restoration of the Rights of Sabah and Sarawak should be tabled at the same time instead of piece-meal amendments unless there is a hidden agenda not to return some of these Rights.
After all, the MA63 Cabinet Committee is scheduled to complete their tasks to review Sabah and Sarawak’s Rights by July 2019 and all the proposed amendments could be tabled in a single amendment to the Federal Constitution in the October 2019 Parliamentary session.
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