KOTA KINBAALU: The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) is hoping that the Parliament, before its current term ends, could pass the necessary amendments to the Federal Constitution, to facilitate restoration of the state rights of Sabah and Sarawak.
This includes reinstating their rightful status as ‘regions’ in Malaysia, as promised by former Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin which he made during his visit to Kuching, Sarawak, last April.
Goh expressed this while welcoming Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s assurance that the government, through the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), to pay close attention to issues related to the interests of Sabah and Sarawak. He assured this while delivering his speech at the 2021 Malaysia Day celebrations here, on Thursday night.
Goh continued that, following the inclusion of the MA63 issue in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Transformation and Political Stability, as one of its key agendas, it should be given top priority by all quarters involved.
He said, with the signing of the said MoU, both the ruling government and the opposition now have enough number of Member of Parliaments to meet the two-third majority requirement to pass any amendments to the Federal Constitution.
“This is the best opportunity for us to set things right, once and for all,” he said in a statement issued today.
Goh who is also a member of Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC) and President of the Federation of Sabah and Labuan Hokkien Associations (FSLHA) also welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement that the Federal government has agreed to allocate over RM9 billions in development funds for Sabah and Sarawak under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), out of which, RM4.66 billion is for Sabah and RM4.47 billion for Sarawak.
The allocation, to be channeled via the First Rolling Plan 2021 under 12MP and tabled in Parliament on Sept 27, would be the highest compared to other states.
Goh who is also President of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) described the said move as an appropriate one in view of the vast land size of the two states, and their need to continue with such essential developments like infrastructures development, and power and water supply.
He also welcomed the government’s allocation of RM7.7 billion through the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) to prepare Sabah and Sarawak for the switch to 5G technology. The said the allocation over a five-year period would see RM3.61 billion channelled to Sabah and RM4.09 billion to Sarawak.
He however underscored that, restoration of Sabah and Sarawak rightful position and political autonomy, as mandated under the MA63, would allow the two states to better achieve their full potentials in terms of financial and economic growth, in the long term.
He lamented that, in the last 58 years, despite possessing abundant natural resources, imbalance in government policies had significantly thwarted developments of Sabah and Sarawak and caused them to lag behind Peninsular Malaysia.
He recognised that, with the recent positive and encouraging political development in the country, the people of Sabah are eagerly hoping that whatever imbalances and shortcomings there are in the existing policies, will be fully and effectively addressed, in order to turn things around for the better.-pr/BNN
