KUCHING, Oct 6: Having representatives in the Inland Revenue Board’s (IRB) Board of Directors will enable Sarawak to claim its appropriate share of the special annual grant as enshrined under Article 112(D) of the Federal Constitution.
In pointing this out, chief political secretary to the Premier Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, who is also Tupong assemblyman said such is the manifestation of close State-Federal ties between the federal government and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) State government through the inclusion of GPS MPs in the administration.
“I welcome this move by the federal government which is mandated in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report 1962 where Sarawak must be represented in Inland Revenue Board.
“It is also in the spirit of equal partners as enshrined under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) where Sarawak as well as Sabah have full knowledge of the nation’s financial standing,” he said in a press statement today.
Fazzrudin added that GPS, through its participation in the federal government, has pushed for State rights under MA63 to be returned.
“Such is a testament to our commitment, devotion and obligation to restore eroded State rights, where this latest success is a milestone achievement by the Sarawak government,” he said.
Earlier today, the Federal Cabinet approved the proposed amendment to the IRB Act 1995 (Act 533) for Sarawak and Sabah to have their representatives sitting on IRB’s Board of Directors. — DayakDaily
