By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 5: Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof has been tasked with ensuring that all unresolved matters within the negotiations on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) are expedited.
Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim said most of the MA63 issues had been resolved. Still, several matters that have raised concern from the people in Sabah and Sarawak should be urgently addressed.
“If necessary, those issues shall be monitored and followed by suggestions so that coordination between the federal and the States can be done.
“I am giving an example of the matter raised by the Premier of Sarawak (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg), where sometimes the existing procedures make it difficult to facilitate implementation at the State level because there are too many departments and ministries for approval (process).
“I believe this will be proposed by the DPM (Fadillah) so that we can implement it immediately because I do not want this matter to continue. So that is why I hope there is significant progress in dealing with it within one month,” he said at a special press conference in Putrajaya today.
Meanwhile, Anwar said Deputy Prime Minister Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been tasked to chair the Disaster Management Committee and will take immediate action in preparation to face the flood season.
On development, Anwar said both the deputy prime ministers (Fadillah and Zahid) would work together with Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi to implement coordination in closing the gap between the development in the urban and rural areas, including the interior of Sabah and Sarawak and several remote areas in Peninsular Malaysia.
“So together with the Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, the task of coordination will be given to Fadillah to coordinate for Sabah and Sarawak and Zahid to coordinate for Peninsular Malaysia,” he added. — DayakDaily
