Masing
KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing regards the state government’s move to table a motion to reclaim Sarawak’s rights at the upcoming State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting as timely.
The PRS president said this is because the state has had ‘more than enough’ of being short-changed by Malaya over the last 53 years.
“We cannot and shouldn’t take it anymore. With the tabling of the motion, it will ‘wake up’ Putrajaya of our rights,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Masing was responding to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s statement on Sunday that the state government would table a motion on reclaiming Sarawak’s rights at the DUN sitting next month.
Adenan said the motion would specifically focus on the need for the federal government to observe Sarawak’s rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the Inter-Government Committee (IGC) Report and the Cobbold Commission Report 1962. Masing hoped that the opposition elected representative would support the state government’s motion when it is tabled.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah concurred with Adenan that the state government should table the motion so that the federal government would abide by the MA63, IGC Report and Cobbold Commission Report 1962. “Malaysia was formed based on the agreement and reports. Therefore, all the parties must respect the agreements reached earlier.”
Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Youth and Sports Minister, opined that one should not view the agreement and reports as no longer important or relevant with the existence of the Federal Constitution as suggested by a professor recently.
“That was a wrong opinion and maybe the professor has to review the history and references so that she could understand what was intended by our forefathers and Sarawakians during that time when they signed the agreement.”
He said many of the rights were eroded over the years and therefore it had to be corrected.
“Therefore, a motion must be presented in the State Legislative Assembly next month as a first step to gain back our rights.”