SARAWAK should not flout the law when demanding the restoration of state rights from federal government, said Yang di-Pertua Negeri Taib Mahmud.

In his address to open the first siting of the state legislative assembly for the year, Taib said while Sarawakians should protect the rights and interests of the state that had been agreed on in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, peaceful negotiations should be the way to do it.

He lauded the state government for going into talks with Putrajaya to restore those eroded rights and a full compliance of the agreement.

Currently, the negotiations are conducted through  special cabinet committee chaired by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“I believe this committee is the best avenue for us to negotiate and regain our rights.”

Taib also called on all Sarawak lawmakers to back Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg and all those involved in the negotiations, who he said “will put the state’s interests” to reinstate Sarawak’s rights above everything else.

The proposed amendments to the federal constitution article that sets out Sarawak’s status in the federation is expected to dominate the eight-day sitting of the current session.

Tomorrow Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali will table a motion to debate the proposed amendments to Article 1(2) of the federal constitution and the previous failed bid to push through the changes in Parliament.

Pakatan Harapan assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon (Pujut) will table a similar private motion on the same matter.

Reinstating Sarawak’s status as one of the founding polities of Malaysia and restoring its rights under the 1963 agreement that formed the federation, is an emotional issue among many Sarawakians.

The bill to amend Article 1(2) was not supported by the required two-thirds of members in the 222-seat parliament when it was tabled on April 9.

Only 138 MPs voted in support, 10 votes short of the required 148 needed to amend the constitution to reinstate the position of Sabah and Sarawak to what it was before 1976.

The 18 MPs from the Sarawak’s ruling coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, abstained from voting because they felt the language in the bill was inadequate to cement the state’s place in the federation. – April 29, 2019.