KUCHING: As a result of the strength and dedication of all Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) MPs, the state has achieved various successes through the amendment of the Constitution related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Deputy chief of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Demak Laut Branch Datuk Seri Syed Hamzah Syed Paie said if viewed from the logic of common sense, it is impossible to amend the Federal Constitution without a two-thirds majority.
However, he said with the strength and dedication of all GPS MPs, on Dec 14, 2021 the Malaysian Constitution relating to MA63 was effectively amended on Dec 14, 2021 with the backing of all MPs from GPS.
“In fact this amendment has the approval of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and has been gazetted by the government as an amendment act to Act 160(2) on Jan 25, 2022,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said this in response to a statement made by Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (Sedar) president Datuk Othman Abdillah who slammed GPS MPs as weak as far as MA63 was concerned .
Syed Hamzah, who is also the Political Secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) added that this amendment is not just a promise of struggle or an election manifesto but has become the national constitution.
“The successful amendment of the Federal Constitution also made the MA63, the Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) Report and the Cobbold Commission Report a constitutional instrument in Malaysia,” he said.
The amendment also successfully purifies the interpretation of the word Federation in Article 160(2) from the Federation of Malaya or Malaya to the Federation of Malaysia.
“In the past Sarawak and Sabah were categorised as states equivalent to Perlis, Kedah or Johor, but now Sarawak and Sabah are given the status of states of Borneo which is equivalent to the Federation of States of Malaya.
“As a result, the celebration of Malaysia Day on September 16 is not only celebrated by a few Kuching citizens at Padang Merdeka, but it is recognised in the Malaysian Constitution which sees the celebration of Malaysia Day celebrated throughout Malaysia.
“The government also agreed to increase the parliamentary constituencies in Sarawak and Sabah to a third of the total number of parliamentary constituencies in Malaysia. The government agreed to appoint a representative of the Sarawak government in the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
“The government agreed to list tourism under a joint authority between the state and federal governments,” said Syed Hamzah.
In addition, he said, due to the fact that Sarawak is no longer equivalent to the states in the peninsula, the federal government has no objection when the post of head of the Sarawak state administration uses the title of Premier.
“While now the definition of indigenous people and bumiputra in Sarawak is no longer subject to the provisions of the Federal Constitution, but can be determined entirely by the Sarawak Government.
“The government also agreed that the appointment of the Judicial Commission for Sarawak will be discussed with the
