1 October 2024
On Today SHow
— Voon Lee Shan, lawyer expert on MA63 – MA63 Equality: Restructuring Parliamentary Seats for Sabah, Sarawak, and Malaya
— Mr. Joseph from Kapit – Kapit's Struggle for Development: A Call for Change in Sarawak's Leadership
— Tobey Qi-Sean, Program Coordinator, MANDIRI – AUKU Outdated: MANDIRI Demands Government Repeal to Protect Student Rights
Topik Pada Hari Ini
— Voon Lee Shan, peguam pakar tentang MA63 – Kesaksamaan MA63: Penyusunan Semula Kerusi Parlimen untuk Sabah, Sarawak, dan Malaya
— Encik Joseph dari Kapit – Perjuangan Kapit untuk Pembangunan: Seruan untuk Perubahan dalam Kepimpinan Sarawak
— Tobey Qi-Sean, Koordinator Program, MANDIRI – AUKU Tidak Relevan: MANDIRI Menuntut Kerajaan Membatalkan untuk Melindungi Hak Pelajar
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Special Randau
1. DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang predicts that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will become one of the longest-serving prime ministers, provided Anwar passes the test of delivering justice and economic harmony for Malaysia.2. Sarawak's Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will launch its Youth Wing during the party’s annual general assembly in Sibu on October 5 and 6, 2024. PBB already has a Youth and Women’s Wing, and now we will launch a youth wing for the age group 18 to 28, said the party’s secretary-general, Alexander Nanta Linggi.
3. Equal political power must be enforced to meet the demands of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), according to Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) President Voon Lee Shan. Voon stated that the allocation of parliamentary seats should be 74 for Sabah, 74 for Sarawak, and 74 for Malaya, bringing the total to 222 seats.
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Voon Lee Shan, Lawyer expert on MA63
MA63 Equality: Restructuring Parliamentary Seats for Sabah, Sarawak, and Malaya
Voon Lee Shan expressed his views on a proposal put forth by four NGOs that are vocal about electoral reform—BERSIH, SARAWAK ROSE, TINDAK MALAYSIA, and ENGAGE. These NGOs suggested that one-third of the Senate seats in the Dewan Negara (Senate) be allocated to the Borneo states—Sabah and Sarawak—so they could veto any laws passed in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) that could affect the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.
However, Voon believes this is not an appropriate suggestion. In his opinion, the real power lies in the Dewan Rakyat. If Sabah and Sarawak are to have equal power, as agreed upon in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), then the number of seats in the Dewan Rakyat must be balanced. Currently, there are 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, but Sabah only has 25 seats, Sarawak 31, while the rest are in Malaya. According to Voon, the distribution should be restructured so that Sabah has 74 seats, Sarawak 74 seats, and Malaya 74 seats, keeping the total at 222. This, Voon argues, is the proposal that should be supported by all parties to restore the MA63 principle of political equality between Sabah, Sarawak, and Malaya.
He further adds that the appointment of Senators to the Dewan Negara is merely a reward for political party members who lost in elections or an appointment of intellectuals with specific expertise to assist the government in the cabinet. Voon's views align with those of 11 NGOs from Sarawak that oppose the SAMA Project (Stability and Accountability for Malaysia Project), which proposed that Sabah and Sarawak should have 35 Senators in the Dewan Negara to safeguard the interests of the two Borneo states. The SAMA Project's media statement was released on September 16, 2024, in conjunction with Malaysia Day.
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Mr. Joseph from Kapit
Kapit's Struggle for Development: A Call for Change in Sarawak's Leadership
Mr. Joseph commented during PMX's visit to Kapit, where PMX expressed his commitment to focusing on the development of Kapit, particularly in terms of roads and the repair of bridges in Kapit's interior. Despite the passage of time, Kapit remains underdeveloped, and this should open the eyes of the people to the need for awareness and change.
PMX's speech, notably, differed from his role as the opposition leader. Due to the sentiment of the Madani government, PMX's address was more focused on promises rather than blaming the Sarawak government, which is widely known to have failed in advancing Sarawak's development.
Kapit is the 7th division of Sarawak, but it should have its own technical school for the youth of Kapit. Currently, students have to travel to Mukah, Kuching, or Miri to pursue their education, as Kapit lacks a technical school. However, PMX did not touch on the issue of education during his visit.
On a personal note, Mr. Joseph Jinggut does indeed wish for the GPS government to be replaced, as they have not been able to solve the poverty issue in Kapit. However, he sensibly believes that it is not entirely fair to blame the Sarawak government, as the people themselves have continued to elect a government that has impoverished them for the past 61 years. The people themselves must rise to bring about a new government to lead Sarawak.
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Tobey Qi-Sean, Program Coordinator, MANDIRI
AUKU Outdated: MANDIRI Demands Government Repeal to Protect Student Rights
MANDIRI strongly condemns Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) for indoctrinating new students to comply with restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly. During UMS's Orientation Week, students were told that any gatherings without university approval are banned, which violates Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution, guaranteeing freedom of speech and assembly.
Tobey comment that, UMS's actions suppress student intellectual growth and expression, especially in the context of the Malaysia Madani government, which claims to support freedom and human rights. Ironically, Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a former student activist, once fought for these very freedoms, but under his leadership, they are now being stifled.
This suppression is rooted in the Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) 1971, which has long been used to silence student movements. AUKU is outdated in today’s Malaysia and must be abolished to restore students' rights to freely speak, assemble, and think critically.
He said, MANDIRI urges the government, particularly Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Higher Education Minister Dato Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir, to immediately revoke AUKU. Students are the future of Malaysia, and their freedom must not be compromised.