Solutions on Sabah's MA63 issue by 2020

By Olivia Miwil - November 19, 2019 @ 3:12pm

KOTA KINABALU: A special cabinet committee is likely to find solutions on Sabah rights pertaining to Malaysia Agreement 1963 by next year, said Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

In making the assurance, he said the Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad, would meet again next month to look into the implementation of what had been agreed upon by the relevant parties.

He was replying to a question by Datuk Dr Jeffery Kitingan (STAR-Tambunan) during the state assembly sitting.

Kitingan had asked on progress achieved by the Committee on Sabah’s rights, particularly on the repayment of 40 per cent revenue and 10 per cent export duty on petroleum in lieu of royalties under the Federal Constitution.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun (PPBM-Karanaan) in a supplementary question asked whether the committee had any timeline to look into the mechanics of implementation involving the payment of the said revenues. This as there had been many meetings held to discuss on the issue.

"It takes time. There are challenges to get what we want but there are changes (taking place). It’s only happening during this government.

"(I agree) that there should be a time frame (for solutions) before the next election. If possible, we should solve it next year as the state needs budget," said Shafie.

As for the updates on the discussion, the federal, Sabah and Sarawak have chalked up progress on eight of the 21 issues discussed in a meeting on Monday.

The eight issues are related to logs and forest products export duty; distribution of gas as well as supervising of electricity and gas distribution; working committee on monitoring federal and state public works; devolution of power; state jurisdiction on health issues; administration on Sipadan and Ligitan islands; agriculture and forestry; as well as federal financial obligations under the joint list.

Shafie said ongoing discussions also include special allocation for states, oil royalty and petroleum cash payment, return of Federal land to states, deep fishing, new recruitment under the Federal Constitution, legal jurisdiction on tourism and environmental issues among others.

Four issues – stamp duty related to Sabah land ordinance, mineral gas, Territorial Sea Act (Act 570) and state rights on continental shelf-were – have yet to see an agreement.