MA63 committee given six months
THE Special Committee set up to review the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) will meet to discuss amending the Federal Constitution to recognise Sabah as a territory, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said yesterday.
“The Special Committee is expected to hold its first meeting in the near future to identify the scope of review and issues related to MA63.
“We have allocated only six months for the committee to study the matter,” he told the state assembly sitting here.
He said this in reply to a question from Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Solidariti-Tambunan), who asked when Sabah would be recognised as a territory.
Shafie also said that Sabah needed an efficient system for the implementation of powers that would be passed down to the state in accordance with MA63.
Meanwhile, Shafie said he will consider Karanaan assemblyman Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun’s suggestion to ignore the special tax imposed by the federal government on visitors to Sipadan Island.
“I am of the opinion that we can actually ignore it. Land is a state matter and the federal government has no right to impose any tax that belongs on our land, which belongs to the state,” said Masidi, who is former Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister.
“So I suggest, as a start, ignore it. Don’t give to the federal government because land is a state matter. Period. Full stop,” he added during the state assembly sitting here yesterday.
Masidi was commenting on the issue of Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the devolution of powers from the federal government that is underway.
Earlier, Shafie said the state has lost its power in many areas that involve deep sea fishing and also diving.
He stressed that the formation of a special committee to study the details of the agreement must be made to ensure that devolution of power can be done correctly.
“What is important for us is that we are not taking the rights of the federal. This is Sabah’s rights because we need money to develop Sabah. It is not that much money,” he said.