Forty-nine senators voted today in favour of the bill in a bloc voting after the second and third reading, while five others were absent.

Senate president Rais Yatim said the bloc voting was done pursuant to Article 159 of the Federal Constitution.

No senators voted against the bill on the second and third reading.

At a press conference later, law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said with the nod given by both houses of Parliament, the bill only required a Royal Assent to become an Act of Parliament.

“We are here as part of history to include provisions in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 into the Constitution, recognise the Agreement itself and for Sabah and Sarawak to attain what is provided for in MA63,” he said.

The bill gives recognition to the demands and special status of Sabah and Sarawak upon joining Malaysia in the Federal Constitution, in line with the provisions in MA63, thereby strengthening their position in the Federation of Malaysia.

The amendments involved the list of the states of the Federation in Clause 2 of Article 1; the definition of the Federation and the new definition of Malaysia Day in Clause 2 of Article 160; the indigenous races of Sarawak in Clause (6)(a) of Article 161A; and the removal of Clause 7 of Article 161A.