By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 6: Sarawak is set to assume greater legislative authority over environmental matters after the federal Cabinet agreed to a proposed amendment paving the way for the transfer of federal powers to the State under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Government spokesperson Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, had agreed to accept a memorandum from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability on the States of Borneo (Legislative Powers) (Amendment) Order 2026 for Sarawak.
“The order has received approval from the Attorney General’s Chambers and will subsequently be submitted for the consent of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” he said in a statement today.
Fahmi said the decision reflected the MADANI government’s commitment to strengthening MA63 implementation by ensuring the delegation of federal legislative powers to the Sarawak government was carried out in an orderly and effective manner, in accordance with Article 95C of the Federal Constitution.
He said the amendment was a crucial step towards suspending the enforcement of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) in Sarawak.
This would pave the way for the scheduled waste management function to be transferred to the Sarawak government in an orderly manner, while preventing overlapping jurisdictions between the federal and state governments.
“The transfer of powers will be implemented in phases, with scheduled waste management serving as the initial phase,” he said.
Fahmi said the initiative formed part of the MADANI government’s continued efforts to fulfil its MA63 commitments, particularly through the devolution of federal legislative powers over environmental matters to Sarawak.
He added that the government remained committed to strengthening federal-state ties and protecting the interests of the people of Sabah and Sarawak. — DayakDaily
