KUCHING, June 9: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had earlier suggested that Sarawak be the host for this year’s Malaysia Day celebration.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said Dr Mahathir had proposed the idea during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) steering committee meeting last month, and Abang Johari had told the Prime Minister that the state government agreed with the proposal.
“In May I attended the MA63 steering committee meeting, and Tun Mahathir had proposed that Sarawak be the host for this year’s Malaysia Day celebration. Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali was also present during the meeting.
“I have told Tun Mahathir that Sarawak is ready to be the host for this year’s Malaysia Day celebration, and we (state and federal governments) will form a joint committee to organise this celebration,” he told reporters after attending Petra Jaya MP Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House at the Sarawak Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Convention Centre near Petra Jaya here this morning.
Abang Johari was responding to the statement by state Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen yesterday that the state PH will recommend to the federal government to hold this year’s national-level Malaysia Day celebration here.
Chong told the press yesterday that this was in line with the importance the PH government placed on the spirit and implementation of the MA63.
“That’s why we have the Cabinet Steering Committee on MA63, a working committee on MA63 and another six cluster groups reporting to the working committee on the implementation of MA63,” he elaborated.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari also gave assurance that the relationship between the state government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and the PH federal government has been very cordial.
He said many PH federal ministers have come to meet him since the change of government and this has helped strengthen the relationship between the state government and Putrajaya.
“In fact the federal and state governments have formed a joint Sarawak Development Committee chaired by Works Minister Baru Bian and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas to monitor federal projects in the state.
“This means that with the joint chairmanship between the federal and state governments, this committee would be very beneficial and crucial for the development of Sarawak.
“This also shows the cordial relationship between the PH federal government and the GPS state government,” said Abang Johari. — DayakDaily
