Two-term limit OK but not for Sarawak, Sabah, says activist

A Sarawak activist says only the people of Sarawak have the right to decide on the state’s constitution. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: A Sarawak activist says that a proposal to limit the tenure of chief ministers to two terms is against the state’s constitution.

Activist Zulfaqar Sa’adi said he has no problem if the proposal is about limiting the prime minister’s term, but said it should not include Sabah and Sarawak.

“The Sarawak constitution was formed before Malaysia even came into the picture. It was given to us first by Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke in 1941 and underwent several constitutional reforms up to 1963 by the colonial British, all through inquiry and consultation with the people of Sarawak.

“The constitution is for the people and the decision on how the constitution should be constructed must be decided by the people of Sarawak themselves,” he said.

By the time Sarawak, together with Sabah, Singapore and the Federation of Malaya, formed Malaysia, the province already had its own constitution through The Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore (State Constitutions) Order in Council 1963 at the Court of Balmoral in the presence of the Queen of England.

Zulfaqar said this meant the Sarawak constitution was not created and enforced by the federal government.

He said the announcement by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to limit the chief minister’s term could amount to dictating how the Sarawak constitution should be changed and reformed.

“The Sarawak constitution is not up to the fancy of the federal government to change as they please. The Sarawak constitution was created before the formation of Malaysia and was given the force of law by the British for the people of Sarawak.

“The federal government has no role in it. So, the prime minister or the federal government has no power to change or reform our constitution. Only the people of Sarawak have this power,” he said.

Zulfaqar said the federal constitution was amended more than 600 times without any regards to the rights and interests of Sarawak.

He said the federal government should not be allowed to “meddle” with the Sarawak constitution.

“Give them just a bit of leeway on this supposedly small thing, and pretty soon, the whole constitution will be changed beyond recognition.

“The Sarawak government should recognise this as the federal government’s attempt to take over our constitution under the pretext of constitutional reform.

“They can’t even abide by the federal constitution with regards to Sarawak’s rights as it is. What guarantee can they give that they will abide by this two-term limit? It will just be like the failure of Sabah’s two-year rotation system,” he said. -FMT