KUALA LUMPUR, July 5- Bukit Gelugor member of Parliament Karpal Singh intends to submit a private member’s bill in Parliament seeking the amendment of the Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution.
The DAP chairman said, the amendment among others meant to avoid confusion in the interpretation of the word ‘Parent’ mentioned in the clause of the article.
However, he said Parliament required a two-third majority for such amendment to be made.
“So if the government does not want to participate (to amend the constitution), I intend to go with a private member’s bill, based on the situation,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby, here yesterday.
Karpal said the word ‘parent’ in the Article should be qualified to be deemed to be both parents, if alive.
“Such an amendment would remove, once and for all, any doubt as to the intention of the framers of the Constitution who must have such an objective in mind in the inclusion of Article 12(4) in that sacred document,” he said.
Karpal said the amendment would also end argument on the proposed unilateral conversion of the section 107(b) in the Administration of Religion of Islam Bill 2013 tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat last week.
On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the proposed section was based on a Federal Court ruling and provisions of the constitution.
– BERNAMA
