KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal believes that the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 does not need to be scrutisined by the Select Committee.
Shafie, who is also Semporna member of parliament, said other restoration of rights under the Malaysian Agreement 1963 (MA63) would follow suit.
"This is about the restoration of status (as regional territories). This is a start of subsequent restorations under MA63.
"Personally, I do not think that the bill should undergo scrutiny with a Select Committee. We had waited for so long (for restoring of status to take place)," Shafie said in his debate on the bill which was tabled by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
The bill seeks to restore Sabah and Sarawak's status as regional territories.
The amendment would specify all the constituent States of the Federation by restoring, with modifications, the position of Clause (2) of Article 1 of the Federal Constitution during formation of Malaysia in 1963.
Shafie was replying to Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who raised a question on whether there was a need for the bill to be reviewed by the Select Committee.
Shafie also denied claims by certain quarters that the tabling of the bill signalled an erosion of nationhood among the people of Sabah and Sarawak.
"This does not mean that we don't love Malaysia. We love our country. We love Malaysia. We understand that building a nation is no walk in the park.
"We only want what is stipulated under MA63 to be restored. This bill is start. If we are going to delay it again for it to be reviewed, when will the other changes are going to take place?"
To a question by Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Shafie agreed that the joint cabinet committee on reviewing MA63 under the stewardship of Dr Mahathir had been steadfast in its efforts to restore rights under the agreement.
"Under Langkawi's leadership (in reference to Dr Mahathir's parliamentary constituency), the committee has done more than when it was under the previous administration."