Sabah Assembly passes motion to support Constitution amendment

The Sabah State Assembly has unanimously approved an extraordinary motion to support the amendment of Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution, which was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat recently.

Karanaan assemblyperson Masidi Manjun (photo, above), when presenting the motion in the assembly yesterday, said it was aimed at ensuring MPs in Sabah continued to negotiate with the relevant parties to implement the amendments in Parliament as fast as possible.

"This motion is a symbolic gesture for the state of Sabah in our effort to regain Sabah's status as a partner of equal status with Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. On April 9, a motion was tabled in Parliament to amend the Constitution to restore the original provisions enacted in 1963, and amended in 1976.

"The proposed 2019 amendment seeks a return of the original provision under Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution, which recognises the partners in the formation of Malaysia, namely Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)," Masidi said.

The Dewan Rakyat had failed to secure a two-thirds majority or 148 votes needed to return Sabah and Sarawak to their original status as stipulated in MA63.

Only 138 MPs supported the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019, while 59 others, including MPs from Gabungan Parti Sarawak, abstained.

- Bernama