Dr Yii: Put aside politics when retabling amendment to restore Sabah, Sarawak’s status

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Video by Roystein Emmor

KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii hopes that the opposition can put aside politics when the federal government retables the amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution in March next year.

Dr Yii said the constitutional amendment was not a partisan issue, where the government intends to correct what was made wrong in the last amendment in 1976, to restore Sabah and Sarawak to their rightful status.

“I really hope the opposition can put aside politics because it’s not a partisan issue.

“From that first step we believe and are optimistic that the grievances can be addressed individually, and Sabah and Sarawak will have equitable share in prosperity,” he told reporters this morning.

He was commenting on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law) Datuk Liew Vui Keong, who yesterday said that the retabling of the proposed amendment was agreed in a three-way meeting between Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg which was held at the Prime Minister’s office in Putrajaya on Monday.

Dr Yii said the proposed amendment has been principally agreed upon by the three parties during the meeting.

“That is why we are going to table it in March 2020, and we hope it will get through this time for the good of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Dr Yii said the federal government in April this year had intended to table the constitutional amendment, but was not successful due to the opposition.

However, he said the federal government was very sincere in returning the rights of Sabah and Sarawak due to the fact that it intended to retable the amendment through the discussions in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Steering Committee.

“This shows the sincerity of the federal government in correcting the historical and economic grievances. I hope the amendment would also address other issues that were discussed in the MA63 Steering Committee because from what we were told, out of 21 issues that were raised, 17 were resolved.

“Regardless of what happened in the past, we want to make sure to restore what is rightfully Sabah and Sarawak’s,” he said.

Asked on the details of the amendment, Dr Yii said it was not his position to reveal any details.

“It is still being discussed between the prime minister and Abang Johari with his team from the state government, and Sabah chief minister (Mohd Shafie) and his state government team,” he said.