Sabah must follow S'wak's wise move: Warisan
Published on: Sunday, April 16, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: The State Government is urged to state its stand on the proposed amendment to the Syariah Act or Act 355 which will be debated in Parliament this July.Parti Warisan Sabah Secretary General Terrence Siambun said as had already been clearly affirmed by the party's Deputy President Darell Leiking, Warisan wholly rejected the tabling of the Private Member's Bill because it is a threat to the Malaysia Agreement 1963, which is the foundation of the Federation of Malaysia.He said Warisan's rejection has nothing to do with 'religion' but more of how, with the help of Barisan Nasional, a political leader from Terengganu manipulated the Parliament for his own personal agenda which could eventually affect Sabahans and Sarawakians.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We must realise that Act 355, which was recently tabled in the Parliament by PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, was not a new Bill but to increase the power of the Syariah Court, just as what the Government did in 1984 and 1989."And here's the problem with this Act. Compared with Sarawak which never recognised the Syariah Court Act (Criminal) 1965, any amendment to the Act, including the Act 355, will also be implemented in Sabah because this Act will be made effective in this State, no thanks to its recognition by the PBS government in 1989," he said.Terrence said the Sarawak's Government's decision not to recognise the Act was probably because they did not want any interference from the Malayans in the State's administration, including those related to the Islamic administration in the State.He said Sarawak's wise decision to use their power as a "partner" in the Federation according to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 to reject Act 355 must be emulated by the Sabah Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
ADVERTISEMENT
It is clear that, said Terrence, despite political pressure from Umno, Sarawak's strategy in using the Malaysia Agreement 1963 as their defence mechanism to stop any "Malayanisation" process was the best strategy despite the State being governed by Barisan Nasional."Actually in this case, both the Sabah and Sarawak government could use the Act 355 issue as a stepping stone towards upholding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 because as what Darell had said, the Act 355 is an 'example' of things that our founding fathers did not agree during the formation of the Federation of Malaysia.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Just imagine if both Sabah and Sarawak rejected the Act 355 on the basis that it is in direct conflict with the Malaysia Agreement 1963; wouldn't that be one of the ways to implement the agreement without waiting for the Sabah Rights Review Committee to sit on it?" he said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
