Mandatory Sarawak, Sabah representation in IRB: Rohani urges Finance Ministry to take action

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KUCHING, March 10: The Finance Ministry should take immediate action to ensure Sarawak and Sabah are represented in the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) as it is mandated in the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report 1962.

Batang Lupar MP Dato Sri Rohani Abdul Karim emphasised that the IGC set up to resolve the final details of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) clearly stated the matter in Paragraph 24(1) of these recommendations or demands. 

“Sarawak and Sabah must be represented in the IRB. It is mandatory, but until now Sarawak has yet to have representation in the IRB.

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“As such, it is time to take this matter seriously and to be implemented by the Finance Ministry immediately,” she said when debating the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech in Parliament today. 

Rohani said that this matter is important as Sarawak and Sabah should be given due rights, and especially appropriate allocation in accordance with the size of the regions and their current status as equal partners in line with the spirit of MA63. 

“The Sarawak government is studying on pursuing the claim for Sarawak to have a representative in the IRB so as to get accurate figures of the national revenue. 

“With full knowledge of the nation’s financial standing, Sarawak then can claim the appropriate amount based on the rights and laws as enshrined under Article 112(D) of the Federal Constitution,” she added. 

Rohani urged all stakeholders to work closely in ironing out the details of these matters based on the successful passing of the Bill to amend the Federal Constitution in Parliament in December last year. 

“It is hoped that with MA63 now being recognised in the Constitution, the government can go in depth into all the promises made in 1963 and provided in the IGC Report and Cobbold Commission Report on the claims of Sarawak and Sabah. 

“The MA63 is one of the important struggles for all Sarawakians. Hence, I will stand firm behind Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to continue to voice out this matter until (the rights of) Sarawak as a partner in Malaysia is implemented as stipulated in the agreement,” she said. — DayakDaily