Sabah, Sarawak should now pursue all rights, says Wan Junaidi

 

Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar refutes claims that MA63 is ‘null and void’ after Singapore left Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: Sabah and Sarawak should now demand to have their own judicial commissions and the right to appoint the commissioners, says law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

In a statement, Wan Junaidi said the two Bornean states should also pursue other rights as listed in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) report that is part of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

The Dewan Rakyat passed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021, based on the MA63, on Tuesday. Among other things, Sabah and Sarawak will now be listed as equal partners with Peninsular Malaysia in the federation.

“We still do not have (a judicial commission) now, despite it being one of the promises under the agreement (MA63),” said Wan Junaidi

“As per the agreement, the Sabah and Sarawak state governments, via the governors, should have the authority to appoint the judicial commissioners, unlike any other states in Peninsular Malaysia.”

Wan Junaidi conceded that some of the two states’ rights and privileges had been eroded over the years, but now that the Federal Constitution had been amended, both states can focus on reclaiming these rights.

He also refuted Parti Bumi Kenyalang president Voon Lee Shan’s claims that MA63 was “null and void” following Singapore’s separation from the federation, rendering the constitutional amendments meaningless.

“I would like to clarify that the MA63 is valid as, up till now, there is no court decision to declare it otherwise. One cannot arbitrarily claim it to be invalid.

“By recognising MA63 in the Federal Constitution, the government can now refer to all the promises made in 1963 in detail and spelt out in the IGC report, which is the in-depth study of the Cobbold Commission Report on the demands of Sabah and Sarawak.”

So, Wan Junaidi said, Putrajaya cannot ignore the demands of Sabah and Sarawak for their rights as MA63 was now part of the Federal Constitution.

“The amendments would enable us to fight for more rights to be returned to Sabah and Sarawak. How can he say the amendments are meaningless?” he said. - FMT