9 demands under MA63 resolved, says Fadillah

NINE demands concerning the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have been fully resolved to date, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said among the matters that had been settled were the handover of administrative authority over Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Ligitan to the Sabah government; amendments to the Federal Constitution on Articles 1(2) and 160(2), as well as the granting of licensing authority in deep-sea fishing to the Sabah and Sarawak governments.

Others included recognition of the Public Works Department and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage in Sabah and Sarawak as Technical Departments under Treasury Directive 182 (AP182); and amendment to the Inland Revenue Board Act 1995 to appoint representatives of the state governments as permanent members.

“Besides those are the handing over of power to regulate gas supply in Sabah; administration of the judiciary in Sabah and Sarawak; provision of guidelines for retransfer of land reserved for the Federation in Sabah and Sarawak; as well as the handover of electricity regulatory powers to the Sabah government,” he said in a written reply published on Parliament website yesterday.

Fadillah was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran), who wanted to know the current status of the implementation of Sabah’s rights as stipulated in MA63, including the restructuring of the Technical Committee of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Action Council.

He said one basic demand involving a review of the special grant for the states of Sabah and Sarawak under Article 112D (RM300 million) had been partially resolved, while three demands had policy decisions involving granting authority over the environment, labour management in Sabah and Sarawak, and the appointment of Judicial Commissioners (Amendment to the Federal Constitution).

Another 14 demands are still under discussion, including oil royalty and cash payments for petroleum, oil minerals and oil fields, the Territorial Sea Act 2012 (Act 750), state rights over continental shelves, and an increase in public service appointments in Sabah and Sarawak under Article 112 of the Federal Constitution.

According to Fadillah, the timeframe for resolving each matter or demand concerning MA63 was subject to the legislative process involved as the issues discussed involved complex legislation requiring detailed examination.