KUCHING, April 6 — There is nothing wrong in the drafting of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution as proposed by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, said Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
In a statement here today, he said if Warisan, a Sabah-based party which is also not in PH, could accept the bill tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, there was no reason why Sarawak could not accept it.
He was responding to a statement by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in Bintangor today that no approval was given by the Sabah and Sarawak Chief Ministers pertaining to the amendment of Article 1(2) in its current form.
Abang Johari, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman. had said the Cabinet Committee on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) did not discussed the actual wording of the amendment in its meetings.
Chong, who is also Stampin MP and state DAP chairman, said it was an excuse by GPS to oppose the constitutional amendment bill.
The amendment bill to change Article 1 (2) to restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as per MA63 met objections from opposition MPs, including from GPS, which is in power in the state.
These MPs wanted the amendment bill to be referred to a Parliamentary Select Committee first for a thorough study. — Bernama
