Make The First Step The Right One Opposition Mp Blasts Article 1 Bill

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PARLIAMENT | Opposition lawmakers have claimed that Putrajaya's efforts to amend Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution should not be the first step that should be taken to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak
This was after Kelvin Yii (Pakatan Harapan-Bandar Kuching) claimed the constitutional amendment was a 'golden opportunity' for the lawmakers to draft history
"This would be the first step (by us), the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," said Yii when debating the policy stage of the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 in the Dewan Rakyat today
He said the government, through the special cabinet committee on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), was still discussing matters on the status of the Borneo states
Yii's debate did not sit well with Nancy Shukri (GPS-Batang Sadong), who said the government has to take the right steps from the beginning
"If we have to begin the first step, it has to be the right step," she said
Alexander Nanta Linggi (GPS-Kapit) then said the Article 1(2) amendment would be a 'misstep'
Fadillah Yusof (GPS-Petra Jaya) said the government should include the wording of MA63 in the bill
"We will only support this amendment (after the wording of MA63 is included) with the condition that the cabinet take an oath (to keep its promise) on what it would do, (namely) introduce more constitutional amendments," he said
On April 4, opposition lawmakers from BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS) had demanded that the bill be withdrawn and referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee for review
They wanted the government to include the findings of the special cabinet steering committee tasked with reviewing MA63, which had been given six months to convene on the matter
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had chaired the committee’s first meeting on Dec 17, 2018
[More to follow]  - Mkini

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