IN SHOCK MOVE, BN & GPS CUT THEIR NOSES TO SPITE THEIR PEOPLE’S FACES: PAKATAN FAILS TO GIVE ‘EQUAL STATUS’ TO SABAHANS & SARAWAKIANS AS ENVIOUS OPPOSITION PREFER TO HOLD BACK THEIR OWN STATES – RATHER THAN ALLOW THEIR RIVALS TO RIGHT A DECADES-OLD WRONG THEY THEMSELVES NEVER BOTHERED TO CORRECT WHEN THEY WERE IN POWER

ANWAR Ibrahim blamed Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak MPs for Putrajaya’s failure yesterday to pass the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s equal status.

The lawmakers’ move to abstain from voting instead of rejecting the bill meant that it failed to secure two-thirds majority support or minimum 148 votes, the PKR leader said.

“Umno and BN did not reject, but did not vote, they just abstained with their own excuses. It’s all right, but we can all see the bill was very clear, that’s all,” the Port Dickson MP said at a Pakatan Harapan rally for the Rantau by-election last night. 

The bill, which did not get through block voting, resulted in 138 MPs supporting the amendment, none rejecting and 59 abstaining.

The bill was tabled and debated for nearly seven hours yesterday was part of efforts to restore the equal status of Sabah and Sarawak as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement in 1963.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad tabled it for the second reading yesterday. He said this was part of the PH election manifesto promises made in GE14.

“I am satisfied, I stood up to support Tun Dr Mahathir’s motion for PH because we fulfilled our promise, and that promise is in line with the federation of Malaysia Agreement 1963,”   Anwar said.

With a total 138 MPs voted for the bill and zero votes against it, Putrajaya fell short of 10 votes to pass its first attempt in constitutional amendment.

Earlier, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (GPS-Santubong) mooted that the bill be referred to a select committee.

A total of 136 MPs turned down the motion while 60 voted for it.

In his winding up of debate at policy stage, Dr Mahathir said there is no need to refer the bill to a parliamentary select committee.

“The amendment was quite clear, it was about (rewriting) about the provision on the formation of the federal states as according to the provision during the formation of Malaysia.”

There was also no need to refer the bill to the Conference of Rulers as this constitutional amendment would not touch on their status.

Pakatan fails to pass Constitution Amendment Bill 2019

PUTRAJAYA failed tonight in its attempt to amend the federal constitution to restore the position of Sabah and Sarawak in the federation,.

The ruling pact failed to secure the magical two thirds majority, or 148 votes to effect the change.

The bill received 138 yeas, with 59 lawmakers, including those from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) abstaining.

None of the MPs voted against.

The ruling pact had been been counting on the 18 GPS lawmakers to see though the bill to amend Article 1(2) of the constitution.

But after a gruelling seven-hour debate among 48 MPs on both sides of the aisle, opposition lawmakers from Barisan Nasional, PAS and GPS decided not to support the amendment.

Instead of voting against it, however, the 59 MPs decided to abstain.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad declined to blame GPS for thwarting PH’s first attempt at amending the constitution.

“They have the right to vote against it,” said Dr Mahathir in the Parliament lobby.

Yet he had “not quite expected” the bill to fall through. “We expected everybody to vote and to show two-thirds support for this.”

It was the first time since 2008 a minority government has attempted to amend the constitution .

The constitution was last amended in 2007 by the Barisan Nasional government to extend the retirement age of Election Commissioners to 66.

During the winding-up session at 9.30pm, Dr Mahathir reiterated the government’s commitment to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s positions in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

“When we decided to form Malaysia in 1963, the agreement was between three entities – the Federation of Malay States and Sabah and Sarawak.

“This is the manifestation of our commitment to restore Sabah and Sarawak’s positions,” said the prime minister.

Signs did not look good for PH to make good its word, as upon the conclusion of Dr Mahathir’s speech,  Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong-GPS) made yet another effort to delay the amendment.

Earlier in the day, Wan Junaidi had put in a motion to refer the amendment to a select committee after the Second Reading.

After Speaker Mohamad Ariff Mohd Yusof allowed a vote on the motion, Wan Junaidi asked for block voting, despite knowing his side would be outnumbered.

The result was 60 votes for, 136 against and one abstention. – THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT