Steering committee on devolution of powers meets

KUCHING: The Steering Committee for the Implementation of Devolution of Powers between the federal government and state governments of Sarawak and Sabah met yesterday at the Parliament in Kuala Lumpur, and concluded with some positive results.

The meeting was jointly chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri representing Sarawak and Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman representing Sabah.

Nancy, in a statement issued after the meeting, said matters which were discussed successfully included ‘pemberian khas’ (special gifts) for Sarawak and Sabah and giving back of powers on electricity and gas distribution for Sabah.

She, however, did not go into details on the ‘pemberian khas’.

On the gas distribution issue in Sarawak, she said it had been agreed that the Sarawak government has the power to distribute gas in the state under the Gas Distribution Ordinance 2016.

She pointed out the next step was to discuss with the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) for the implementation stage of this ordinance.

“All these matters discussed will be for the Cabinet to gain policy decision,” she said.

According to her, the devolution of power or authority between the federal government and Sarawak government has commenced and already been implemented in most of the 13 administrative matters previously agreed between both sides.

These include the granting of credentials in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code to State Law Officers by the Public Prosecutor to prosecute for offences under the state ordinances from the lower court to the appeals court level.

The addition of 100 new posts in the Sarawak Immigration Department to improve enforcement in Sarawak has also been fully implemented, she added.

She also mentioned that several other issues such as the issue concerning the Welfare Department were at the final stage of discussion.

Also present at the meeting was Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali, who is the chairman of the Technical Committee on Implementation of the Devolution of Powers between the Federal Government and the State Governments of Sarawak and Sabah.