THE stage is set for Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) first constitutional amendment as the government is tabling the Article 1(2) amendment for second reading in Dewan Rakyat today.

The house itself was abuzz with activity as MPs from PH and opposition parties gathered early in Dewan Rakyat to attend the debate to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak’s in the Federal Constitution.

After the morning’s question-and-answer session, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Hanipa Maidin tabled the amendment for second reading.

“Today’s meeting will continue until it has decided whether to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution,” said the Sepang MP in Dewan Rakyat today.

The debates are expected to begin at 2.30pm.

According to a Parliament staff, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to attend the debates at 4pm. 

This is the first time an incumbent government is attempting to amend the Federal Constitution since losing two-thirds majority in Dewan Rakyat in the 2008 elections. 

The constitution was last amended in 2007 by then Barisan Nasional government to extend the retirement age of Election Commission commissioners to 66. 

But the move to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s positions in the constitution has met with resistance from the non-government Borneo MPs.

Among the complaints are that the amendment of Article 1(2) alone is not sufficient and more articles should be amended to restore the position of the two Borneo states. 

PH currently has 129 MPs, from PKR (50), DAP (42), Bersatu (26) and Amanah (11).

With the help of friendly parties, Warisan (9) and Upko (1), the government coalition has 139 MPs but is still nine short of the 148 MPs needed to amend the constitution.

To do so, it will need the help of Gabungan Parti Sarawak that has 18 MPs.

The government tabled the Article 1(2) amendment in Dewan Rakyat last Thursday.

Article 1 (2) was amended on July 13, 1976 to include Sabah and Sarawak as one of Malaysia’s 13 states.

According to the Hansard, 130 out of 154 MPs, including 22 out of Sarawak’s 24 and 11 out of Sabah’s 16, had supported the amendment. 

Before the 1976 amendment, Article 1(2) reads as: 

“The States of the Federation shall be - 

a.      the States of Malaya, namely, Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Terengganu; and

b.     The Borneo States, namely, Sabah and Sarawak.

The government is attempting to restore the statuses of Sabah and Sarawak by separating Sabah and Sarawak from the list of 13 states. – April 9, 2019