Madius Tangau: Refer amendment on Bill to MA63 special committee

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Madius Tangau is calling on the government to refer the amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) special committee before the second reading in Parliament. 

The Upko president said the proposed amendment on the article needs to be referred to the special committee tasked at looking into matters pertaining to the MA63 first.

Madius said this should be done before the second reading takes place on Tuesday (April 9) evening, following its first reading in Parliament last Thursday (April 4). 

The Tuaran MP said the process must be fulfilled if the federal government was serious about implementing MA63.

"I have informed the Parliament of this request and the official letter was delivered to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker on Monday (April 8) morning," Tangau said in a statement.

He said the Bill was said to have been tabled in a rush and had drawn negative reactions from various parties in Sabah and Sarawak.

Tangau said that no draft amendments were discussed with the special committee prior to the tabling of the proposed amendment.

The implication to the amendment would make a huge impact on the nation's governance, he added.

"Please be reminded that the main objective of the special committee set up to look into the MA63 is to ensure that the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as stipulated under the agreement be restored," he said.