KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat has passed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021 related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) with a more than two-thirds majority on Tuesday (Dec 14).

       Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun said 199 lawmakers had supported the bill while another 21 MPs were not present.

       "With that, after the bloc voting, it managed to secure the two-thirds support as required by the Federal Constitution," he said.

       The Bill, which was earlier tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, proposed to amend Clause 2 of Article 1 of the Federal Constitution to say the states of the Federation comprises:

       (a) the states of Malaya namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Selangor and Terengganu; and

       (b) the Borneo states, Sabah and Sarawak.

       It is also to amend Clause 2 of Article 160 to insert a new definition of “Malaysia Day” and to change the definition of “the Federation” in line with the spirit of MA63 signed on July 9, 1963, and by virtue of the agreement relating to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia as an independent and sovereign state dated Aug 7, 1965.

       The Bill also aimed to amend Article 161A by replacing Clause 6 (a) to say that in regard to Sarawak, the indigenous races of Sarawak are as stated in the state law; and also to remove Clause 7.