No approval was given by the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers pertaining to the amendment of Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution in its current form, said Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.

He said the Cabinet Committee on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) never discussed the actual wording of the amendment in its meetings.

“Let me state, although we approved the intention to amend Article 1(2) in principle, no approval was given in respect of the amendment in its current form. 

“This was because the committee never discussed the actual contents and wording of the amendment,” said Abang Johari.

He stressed that he had highlighted at the first steering committee meeting, that the discussions and decisions should be within the parameters of the Federal Constitution and MA63.

The chief minister said this during a press conference after performing the Earth Breaking Ceremony for Pasi Road (Sarikei)-Tanjung Manis (Mukah) Coastal Road/Batang Rajang Bridge Project at Km 3 Pasi/Selidap Off Skim B Road Junction in Bintangor, Sarawak, today.

The amendment bill to change Article 1 (2) to restore rights of Sabah and Sarawak as per the MA63 that was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat last week met objections from opposition MPs, including from GPS, which is in power in Sarawak. 

These MPs wanted the amendment bill to be referred to a Parliamentary Select Committee first for a thorough study.

On April 4, de facto Law Minister Liew Vui Keong had said that Putrajaya's intention to amend Article 1(2) had already received the approval of Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers during the meeting by the Cabinet Committee on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

- Bernama