PUTRAJAYA will make a second bid to amend Article 1(2) of the constitution to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s position in the federation, said de factor law minister Liew Vui Keong.

“The Federal Constitution’s Article 1(2) amendment to make Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with Malaya will be tabled at the 2020 Parliament session on March 9,” said the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) in a statement today.

Liew said this had been discussed in a meeting between Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak yesterday.

The PM’s meeting with Sarawak’s Abang Johari Openg and Sabah’s Shafie Apdal had focused on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which both states want restored to ensure rights protected under the agreement are returned to them.

“Seventeen out of 21 issues have already been agreed to between the federal government and the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak,” said Liew in the statement.

He did not elaborate on what the other issues were. 

It was reported that the four issues that would not be discussed are immigration autonomy, power to enforce state laws, border protection and revenue obtained within state boundaries.

In April, Pakatan Harapan tried to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s position to be equal with the peninsula, but opposition MPs from Gabungan Parti Sarawak refused to back the motion.

PH could muster only 138 ayes while 59 lawmakers, including those from GPS, abstained. Pakatan needed 149 votes, and GPS has 18.

PH formed a special cabinet committee to look into MA63 issues that included oil royalties, equal distribution of taxes and regional development after taking over the government in October 2018. – December 17, 2019.