Amendment vital for Sabah: CM
Published on: Monday, March 11, 2019
By: Neil Chan
KOTA BELUD: The amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution is vital for Sabah’s struggle to restore its rights and the rights of the people as stated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pic).
He said the amendment, to be tabled at the Parliament session beginning today (Monday), involved the restoration of the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners to the peninsula with equal rights in the Federation of Malaysia.
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“The Sabah Government will ensure that the rights stated in the MA63 will be restored. For Sabah, the MA63 needs a change and should be standardised with the State’s development need,” he said at the Chief Minister’s meet-and-greet programme with the Tempasuk community, here, Sunday.
Also present were his deputy Datuk Jaujan Sambakong and Tempasuk Assemblyman Datuk Musbah Jamli.
Shafie said the State Government led by Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) was aware of the people’s demands for change and development, especially in the rural areas.
As such, he said the State Government had decided, among others, to stop timber export in a bid to empower the local timber industry and create more jobs for the locals.
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Efforts to bring in foreign investment had also been intensified, he said, with the latest involving co-operation with Petronas to lure Chinese investors to invest in the oil and gas industry in Sabah involving an investment of RM1 billion.
He said the State Government would also bring in 10 investors to set up furniture factories in Sandakan.
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He also reaffirmed that the Warisan-led State Government would continue to fight for the State’s rights under the MA63.
“We will ensure what is enshrined in the MA63 is fulfilled. There are some things still in discussion. What is necessary, we will speak without limitations and concerns,” he said.
Shafie said the establishment Warisan was in line with the intention of realising the will of the people, including restoring Sabah’s status as a territory as stated under the MA63.
“Other issues like the 20 per cent royal oil claim will continue to be voiced out until it is realised. The current five per cent royalty needs to be changed and adjusted as Sabah needs more development fund for the benefit of the people,” he said.
In another development, Shafie, who is also Warisan President, said the party’s decision to accept former Umno and other opposition party leaders as Warisan members would only involve those who have truly fought for the people.
“We are very selective in taking in new members because we want to ensure that only those who will fight for the people will be accepted, not those who are eyeing for posts or projects.
“This is in line with the people’s aspiration for changes when they voted for Warisan in the last general election,” he added.
He also said he has no plans to reshuffle the State Cabinet following the crossover of the assemblymen to Warisan.
He said he had made it clear to the former opposition assemblymen joining Warisan that they would not be given any Cabinet or government positions.
“There is no promise of any government positions for them to join Warisan,” he said.
Shafie said the key issue was to bring unity among the people to enable the State Government to administer and develop Sabah.
“What is important is for us to serve the people by developing the State,” he said.
Musbah is among six former Umno assemblymen to have joined Warisan besides Datuk Abdul Muis Picho (Sebatik), Datuk Hamisah Samat (Tanjong Batu), Jamawi Jaafar (Kemabong), Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman (Sukau) and Datuk Osman Jamal (Balung).
Last week, Tandek Assemblywoman Datuk Anita Baranting, who was also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Women Chief, also joined Warisan.
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