By Olivia Miwil - September 22, 2021 @ 4:06pm
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah should start the process of decentralisation of certain powers particularly for health-related matters, the state assembly was told.
Datuk Ewon Benedick (Upko-Kadamaian) said this was important especially after witnessing what happened in recent months as the state battled Covid-19.
He said the proposal was included in a special motion, which he had submitted with another assemblymen to the state assembly speaker's office on Aug 16.
The special motion, which proposed a tabling of an enactment to manage infectious disease and public health specifically for Sabah, had been rejected prior to the current state assembly sitting.
"I understand this motion was rejected because the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 was made at the federal government-level and amendments to the Sabah Public Health Ordinance 1960 made in 1971 and 1975 handed over state powers to the Federal Minister and Director General of Health.
"All of us who have been mandated to sit in this House are fighting to demand the full implementation of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) and our rights in the Federal Constitution. Therefore, shouldn't we demand decentralisation of federal power?"
"We do not want to see the Sabah Chief Minister making announcements, and then have the federal government not acknowledging them, or taking weeks to gazette the Chief Minister's order," Ewon said during debate session at the state assembly here today.
On June 29 this year, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had announced that dine-in at eateries would be allowed again in Sabah.
However, on the same day, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was the Senior Minister (Security Cluster) at the time, had said that such a move was not possible and asked Sabah to follow the nationwide standard operating procedures (SOP).
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan- Senallang) said under the Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan)-led state government in the past, the state used to have its own state Health Ministry.
He said that state ministry could decide on suitable SOP according to the current situation.
"At the same time, the supply and emergency needs such as vaccines and other hospital equipment can be prepared without waiting for a decision from Kuala Lumpur," said Shafie, who is the former Chief Minister and Warisan president.
He added Sabah requires more single-dose Cansino vaccines for efficient vaccination in the state.
He said the importance of pursuing MA63 was also to return the state's autonomy to ensure good governance.
This , he said, will enable Sabah to manage its revenues from timber, oil and gas and others instead of pleading for funds from the federal government.
He said the arrears in the amount of special allocations to Sabah totalled RM50 billion. This was based on provisions under Table 10, Article 112 of the Federal Constitution, which requires the Federal Government to return 40 percent of Sabah's net income to the state.
"Revenue from Sabah's tourism sector also benefits the federal government.
"Sabah is only given revenue from room accommodation tax. For example, in 2019, the revenue from the tourism sector in Sabah is RM1 billion, but Sabah was only given RM3 million. The formula must be updated.
"Under MA63, the formula should be 40 per cent of total revenue," Shafie said, adding the same should be applied for the issuance of deep sea fishing licences.
He said such licences should come under the state's jurisdiction. The power to appoint a Sabah judicial commissioner should also be returned to Yang diPertua Negeri, he said.
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