Federal govt serious in restoring S’wak, Sabah as equal partners – Liew

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Datuk Liew Vui Keong

KUCHING: De Facto Law Minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong assures that the Federal government is serious to amend Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution.

He said for the amendment to Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution to be passed, it requires a two-third majority in Parliament, which means some opposition Members of Parliament (MP) must also vote for the amendment.

“We in Pakatan Harapan, and I believe the people in Sarawak and Sabah, want to make it back to pre-1974, to make us – Sabah and Sarawak – equal partners in Malaysia.

“For it to happen, Article 1 (2) must be amended. Once that is done, I think the rest will fall. We have to start with this Article 1 (2) first,” he told a press conference here at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar here today.

Article 1 (2) of the Federal Constitution had downgraded Sarawak and Sabah, which were partners in the formation of Malaysia, to the status of mere states like any other states in Peninsular Malaysia.

Liew said he together with Minister of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali had been tasked to work together with the opposition MPs to come out with some form of agreement and consensus that agreed to amend come of the constitutions, especially on that article.

He said in view of that, he has to work hard to convince his colleagues from other divides to come together and to amend this Article.

“I think the amendment to this article is very, very important and so we need the support from all our fellow MPs from Sabah and Sarawak.

“Only after this Article had been amended, then we can talk about the rest, we can talk about oil royalty, we can talk about equal distribution of wealth, we can talk about reasonable development and all that,” he said.

Liew said he had met some of the opposition members regarding the matter and he is going to meet some of them, mainly his old friends, during his current visit here.

He said meetings with MPs from the other divides would be an ongoing process.

“I think when it comes to amending that article and the implementation of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), I don’t think anyone in Sabah and Sarawak will say no,” he said.