THE bill to amend the Federal Constitution to keep it in line with the relevant provisions of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), will be tabled on October 26 as planned, de facto law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.

“That’s for sure. I will table it on October 26 for the first reading unless the prime minister changes his mind during the (government’s) pre-council meeting (in Putrajaya) tomorrow night,” he told the Malaysian Insight.

Wan Junaidi was alluding to the discussion he had with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob during the state development briefing at the Kuching Hilton this morning. He said Ismail had given him the go ahead with the tabling.

“I want to expedite the process. I still want to table it and the prime minister has agreed.

“The tabling can be continued for the first reading but if there are any changes (to be made) at all, it will be done at the second reading.”

He said any changes to the proposal that had been presented to the leaders of Sabah and Sarawak, the various political parties, members of the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 and various stakeholders, could not be made “just like that”.

“We will have to go on another round of consultations with the leaders of Sabah and Sarawak.

“We still have time (for the consultations). I’ll go back to Sabah, then back to Sarawak. It cannot be changed… (to) what the ministers want.”

Ismail is in Kuching for his first working visit since his appointment as prime minister.

Yesterday, news portal Malaysiakini quoted Wan Junaidi as saying that the cabinet had decided to put on hold the tabling of the bill to seek clarification from the attorney-general questions two ministers had raised “on the definition of the federation” at the last cabinet meeting.

Wan Junaidi said the question the ministers raised relates to the proposed amendment to Article 160(2) that seeks to redefine the meaning of the federation.

The Santubong MP said Attorney-General Idrus Harun had been asked to give his explanation at the meeting.

The proposed amendments are on Article 1 (2) on the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the “federation of Malaysia” and Article 160 (2) to redefine the meaning of the federation to “provide clarity on the position of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia”.

Wan Junaidi had also earlier said the current amendments are different from those proposed by the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018. – October 23, 2021.