‘Federal Govt committee to study devolution of powers to Sarawak’
KUCHING: The Federal Government will form a cabinet committee to look into the devolution of powers to the state.
Sarawak Pakatan Harapan chairman Chong Chieng Jen said this was because Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Abang Openg had refused to sign the “New Deal” agreement put forward by the coalition before the 14th General Election.
Chong said the agreement gave the state full autonomy rights in healthcare and education involving three levels of the decision-making process — administrative, policy and fiscal.
“In short, the state government can decide on everything that comes under the two ministries, such as policy, budget allocation, school syllabus, employment of teachers and medical staff, as well as the building of new schools and hospitals.”
In addition, he said, oil and gas royalties due to the state would be quadrupled from the existing five per cent to 20 per cent. He said half of the tax revenue collected in Sarawak would be returned to the state.
“We want the state government to have the powers to set up Sarawak’s own ministries to manage education and healthcare. But, they rejected it,” he said,
He said Putrajaya was looking into devolving powers for trade and commerce to the state as well.
“We cannot and do not want to allocate big sums of money to the state government as the funds could be used for other purposes.”
He said the Federal Government would not devolve power to someone who refused to take up the responsibility of managing that power.