The State Legislative Assembly should pass a motion appointing a Sabah MP to table a Private Member’s Bill in the Parliament to amend the Federal Constitution so that Sabah’s rights in accordance with the 1963 Malaysia Agreement will be better reflected.
The Parliament Speaker had allowed a Private Member’s Bill by Marang MP for the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act or RUU 355 recently.
If the PAS president can be given a chance I believe the Parliament should also give way to our Member of Parliament to discuss, debate in the interest of Sabah.
In this respect, the best candidate to table the Private Member’s Bill on behalf of Sabah is Keningau MP Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
Hopefully the Keningau MP cum Deputy Chief Minister will consider my suggestion. Before retiring from politics let us create history together to return the rights of Sabah.
Let us no longer dwell on the story of the RCI technical committee on illegal immigrants for which until now all the good ideas have yet to be made public.
The proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution to be tabled as the Private Member’s Bill should include:
- Amending Article 1 (2) to reflect the true spirit equal partners between Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak;
- Amending Article 160 (2) to add the definition of Malaysia Day, September 16, 1963;
- Amending Article 160 (2) so that the definition of “Federal” and its formation is based on the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
The proposal is a new point in addition to those submitted during the public hearing session by the Committee on the Review of Sabah Rights chaired by the Special Tasks Minister early this year.