By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 13: Several Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) demands by Sarawak and Sabah—though agreed to in principle by the federal Cabinet—remain unresolved due to legal and administrative hurdles, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Speaking during the ‘Jiwa Komuniti Madani’ (Madani Community Soul) programme at Kampung Segedup today, Fadillah said Sarawak’s current focus is on key issues such as education and healthcare, in addition to other MA63-related matters.
“These powers should be returned to Sarawak to manage affairs related to education and healthcare.
“In principle, this has already been agreed to, and we are now refining the details at the administrative level,” he said.
However, Fadillah, who is the Petra Jaya assemblyman, explained that implementation is often slowed down by differing interpretations from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which serves as the legal advisor to the Cabinet, the Prime Minister, and the King.
“When we bring Sarawak’s or Sabah’s views to the table, they are subject to the Attorney General’s interpretation—and sometimes, that interpretation differs from Sarawak’s.
“This makes it difficult to reach decisions, and certain matters remain unresolved as a result,” he said.
As the chairman of the MA63 technical committee, Fadillah said unresolved matters at the technical level will be elevated to the higher-level Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by the Sabah Chief Minister and Sarawak Premier.
“At that level, if a policy is agreed upon by the Cabinet, the Attorney General must follow the Cabinet’s decision when it comes to legal drafting or amendments,” he stressed.
Nonetheless, Fadillah acknowledged that some Cabinet members are cautious about making decisions that might appear to contradict legal advice, due to concerns over possible future liabilities.
“That’s why negotiations and understanding are not easy when it comes to changing policies or laws. This is the complexity we are managing right now,” he pointed out. – DayakDaily
