DEPUTY Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor is hoping that the proposed amendments to the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134) will gain the support of at least 148 or two-thirds of the MPs.
He said there were only two occasions in which the Malaysian government enjoyed the support of two-thirds of the MPs in Parliament – once during Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s tenure in 2004 and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s current tenure.
“I hope the Opposition will support these amendments after they are passed by the Cabinet and Rulers’ Conference. I have to use this space because there is no Orang Asli representative here.
“I’m requesting for the Opposition leaders to support this.
“This is my hope,” said Ramli when chairing the Parliament session.
He said engagement sessions pertaining to the proposed amendments to Act 134 are ongoing.
Once completed, he would bring it to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, before passing it to Anwar.
“After it is passed by the Cabinet, it will be brought to the Rulers’ Conference and then to Parliament,” he added.
