KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said there is no need to refer the amendment to the Federal Constitution on the status of Sarawak and Sabah to the Conference of Rulers.
Responding to a question raised by Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan in Dewan Rakyat today, Dr Mahathir said the amendment to Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution does not touch on the monarch’s rights and privileges.
“In this matter, I wish to explain that this amendment does not directly touch on the privileges, position... of the royals, and therefore, there is no need to refer to the Council of Rulers,” Dr Mahathir said in his winding up speech on the Bill to amend the Federal Constitution on the status of the two states in Malaysia
In the debate session prior to Dr Mahathir’s winding up speech, Ahmad had asked if the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 to amend Article 1(2) will be tabled to the monarch.
The Bill will require bipartisan support as Pakatan Harapan (PH) only commands a simple majority in Parliament while changes to the Federal Constitution requires the backing of two-thirds of the House.
The proposed amendment seeks to list Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, and Terengganu as states of Malaya, while Sabah and Sarawak would be called the Borneo State, overall forming the States of the Federation.
