Rep baffled at deferment of 2nd reading of Bill to restore equal status of Sabah, S’wak

Irene Chang

SIBU (Oct 25): There is no reason why the date for the second reading of the proposed Bill to amend the Federal Constitution to restore the equal status of Sabah and Sarawak cannot be scheduled first even if there are still some issues which need to be clarified by the Attorney-General.

Since the matter is urgently important to the people of Sabah and Sarawak, the refusal to schedule the date for the second reading belies the possibility that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government at both the federal and state levels has no real intention to proceed with the passing of the bill to allow the status of both Sabah and Sarawak to be rightfully restored.

She said the postponement of the second reading of the Bill leaves a very bad taste in the mouth for Sarawakians after so much hype about the proposed bill.

“It causes one to wonder if the proposed bill is actually a political gimmick in readiness for Sarawak state election, to relay the idea that the two states’ status would be restored but which date in fact has not even been fixed for the Bill’s second reading and hence for the debate and discussion by the Members of Parliament,’ she said in a media statement.

Chang said if the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government wants to remove themselves from such possible perception, they should not have agreed to postpone the date for the second reading and should have instead, at least push for the date for the second reading to be fixed in order to ensure more certainty that the bill would be debated among the MPs.

She said the passing of the bill would be the first step to the restoration of Sarawak’s equal status in the Federation of Malaysia.

“However, the GPS government needs to ensure that this status does not stay in name only but to be also applied in the practical governance of our state rights vis-à-vis the federal rights.”

Chang said it is now also the best time for Sarawak to push for an assessment of the performance by the federal government on the matters of education and healthcare to the state.

She said it was no longer a secret that Sarawakians have long been not happy and satisfied with the education and healthcare provided by the federal government.

“To only determine the date for the second reading after all cabinet members of the federal government have been ‘fully satisfied’ with the AG’s explanation (as reported in a local portal) cannot be acceptable as it leaves open a very high possibility that the date would never be scheduled.

“The claim that it has been approved in principle means nothing if the details can still be picked on by any one member of the cabinet.”

Over the years, Chang added, the problem of dilapidated schools, poor and no internet connectivity and shortage of teachers in Sarawak has been raised over and over again.

“And yet, none of the problems have been resolved. Sarawak is one of the states with the most vacancies for teachers and yet complaints have been received that priority has always been given to teachers from Peninsular Malaysia even though we have local teachers specialising in the same subjects.”

Likewise, she said Sarawakians have much to complain about the healthcare provided by the federal government to the state.

“The lack of specialists, healthcare facilities and funds had been badly highlighted particularly during the past two years.

“Sarawakians are indignant to receive the second hand and malfunctioned ventilators to Sibu, Bintulu and Sarikei hospitals earlier this year during the peak of fighting the pandemic.”

In fact, Chang said, much of the times, Sarawakians have been made to feel that their hospitals need to beg for resources and manpower to be sent over to the state.

“It is obvious therefore that the performance by the federal government has failed far short of the expectations and aspirations of Sarawakians.

“After 58 years, it is time that the state government of Sarawak invoke Article 95C(1)(b) to be read together with Article 80(4) of the Federal Constitution and push for the executive authority over these two matters to be decentralised and transferred to Sarawak.”

During this time, when Sarawak obviously calls the shot in the political scenario, Chang said the GPS government would be failing the people of Sarawak if the executive authority over these two matters is not being aggressively negotiated to be transferred to the state.

“It is time that our own people take charge of these two matters which is also a key driver to a more developed state with a high quality of life.”

from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/3EfBsuf
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