THE federal constitution will be amended in the coming parliament sitting which starts next week to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with Malaya.

The amendment involves Article 1(2) of the federal constitution, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong.

The amendment, if passed, will revert back the constitution to that of 1976, he said.

“In other words, Sabah and Sarawak will get their status back as defined under Article 4 of the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said in his address at a dinner he hosted for Sarawak’s legal fraternity and members of parliaments.

Former prime minister Hussein Onn tabled an amendment to Article 1(2) on July 12, 1976, which downgraded Sarawak and Sabah’s status as equal partners in the federation to mere states of equal stature with the other 11 states in the peninsula.

Sabah and Sarawak’s position was sealed in just two days.

Digging into the Hansard, Liew said one of the MPs, who debated the bill, said the amendment was made “so that there do not arise a feeling where Malaysians on the peninsula feels differently those in Sabah and Sarawak”.

Since the government at that time had two-thirds majority in parliament, the bill was passed the next day.

“I cannot deny on the importance of support from all Sabah and Sarawak MPs in amending this provision in Parliament.

“It requires a strong political will and we must put aside our political differences for the future of our next generation,” he said as he appealed to the Sarawak MPs, including Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chief whip in parliament Fadillah Yusof, who was present.

“It is my hope that all of us Malaysians remain united and ‘bersatu hati’ (in one heart) in amending Article 1(2) and rectify the injustices suffered by Sabah and Sarawak for the past three decades.

“Let’s all be part of this history and together we shall strive for a new hope and better Malaysia,” Liew said.

Fadillah, reacting to Liew’s statement, said while GPS lawmakers support “what is good for the state, for the people of Sarawak”, they need to see details of the amendments first.

“The essence and core of the MA63 must be there. Sarawak rights and Sabah rights must (also) be returned.

“That should be the focus of the amendment,” the Petra Jaya MP said.

Sarawak’s Assistant Minister for Law, State and Federal Relations Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali echoed the same sentiment.

“We have to look at the proposal they will submit.

“In principle, if it’s good for Sarawak, good for Sabah and good for Malaysia we are all for it.

“But we will have to look at the proposed amendments first.”

Hasidah, who last year led a mission to London to dig for historical documents kept in British archives to support Sarawak’s claims, said what Sarawak wants at the end of the day “is our rights to be returned back to us”. – October 8, 2018.