IN RARE REBUKE, ANWAR TICKS OFF CRITICS OF ‘EQUAL STATUS’ BILL: MAKE BASIC CHANGE FIRST, SAYS PKR CHIEF AS BUNG MOKHTAR, JEFFREY KITINGAN, NANCY SHUKRI GANG UP WITH OTHER EX-BN MATES TO OPPOSE LANDMARK BILL – WHICH IRONICALLY THEY NEVER BOTHERED TO RAISE DESPITE HOLDING POWER FOR DECADES

RESTORE Sabah and Sarawak’s status in the federal constitution before moving to other power sharing issues, said Anwar Ibrahim.

“This is the most basic amendment to restore the positions of Sabah and Sarawak. Why would we need to send this (amendment bill) to a select committee?” the Port Dickson MP told Dewan Rakyat today.

He said Putrajaya has promised to further amend other laws to help Sabah and Sarawak, and a select committee could discuss those matters then.

“Some question whether this is a good amendment but at least Pakatan Harapan is doing what it promised in its manifesto. This is something that Barisan Nasional never did,” said Anwar debating the amendment today.

Earlier, Bung Mokhtar Radin (Kinabatangan-BN) said restoring Sabah and Sarawak’s status was also on the Barisan Nasional manifesto.

Bung is among those who want the government to refer the amendment to a select committee.

Similarly, former BN minister Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong-GPS) said that while her coalition “basically agreed” to the amendment, they wanted it delayed.

“Why can’t we wait for the MA63 special committee to complete its discussions first?” she asked.

To which Anwar replied: “Well, if you agree then let us pass this amendment first. This is the most basic amendment to distinguish the positions of Sabah and Sarawak.

“Other power sharing matters or allocations can be discussed in the cabinet committee,” said the PKR president.

To Jeffrey Kitingan’s (Keningau-STAR) question of whether the government could “guarantee” other amendments would follow, Anwar said: “We are trying to fulfil one promise now.”

“And we will fulfil other promises.”

Currently, Sabah and Sarawak are listed as two of the 13 states of Malaysia. The amendment seeks to restore the positions of Sabah and Sarawak by distinguishing them from the other 11 states.

But Sabah and Sarawak opposition MPs say this is not enough and want more changes to accompany the Article 1(2) amendment bill. Along with the opposition on the peninsula, the MPs want a select committee to study the bill before it is presented in parliament.

the malaysian insight