By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Sept 12: The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting today reached a breakthrough on environmental powers, with an amendment to the Federal Constitution to empower Sabah and Sarawak in managing scheduled waste set to be tabled in Parliament this December.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the suspension of the Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974 through Article 95C of the Federal Constitution will empower Sabah and Sarawak in regulating scheduled waste management.
“For scheduled waste, the amendment to Article 95C of the Federal Constitution will be tabled in Parliament, expected in December.
“This will grant Sabah and Sarawak the authority to manage solid waste and other related matters as agreed earlier,” he told reporters after the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Kuching, which was attended by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and federal and state ministers.
The meeting also agreed that appointments of judges for Sabah and Sarawak must involve proper consultation with the respective Heads of State (TYTs), with the process to be formalised through constitutional amendment.
On parliamentary representation, the federal government has agreed to consider increasing the number of Dewan Rakyat seats for Sabah and Sarawak but this requires further details and discussions from a legal standpoint.
So far, 13 MA63-related demands have been resolved, with nine of them under the current Madani Government.
These include the return of Bintulu Port to Sarawak, devolution of gas and electricity regulatory powers to Sabah, amendments to Sabah and Sarawak labour ordinances, and the recognition of state public works and irrigation departments as technical agencies.
Fadillah stressed that unresolved matters, including the devolution of tourism powers, will continue to be pursued through the MA63 Technical Committee and ministerial-level working groups.
Also present at the press conference were Minister of National Unity Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang; Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick; and Secretary of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Division under Prime Minister’s Department, Mohd Saiful Sungkih Abdullah.
– DayakDaily
