By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, May 18: The Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) will see a significant move to repeal the Infrastructure Development Trust Fund Ordinance 1985 during its upcoming sitting from May 19 to 28.
DUS Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar said the Infrastructure Development Trust Fund (Dissolution) Bill, 2025 will be tabled by Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
“Through this bill, the Infrastructure Development Trust Fund Ordinance 1985 will be repealed, and the fund established under Section 3 of the Ordinance will be dissolved.
“All monies in the fund shall be transferred to and vested in the State Consolidated Fund upon the bill’s enforcement,” he told a press conference at the DUS Complex today.
The bill is one of six to be tabled during the First Meeting of the Fourth Term of the 19th Sarawak DUS, which will sit for eight days starting tomorrow (May 19), excluding the weekend (May 24 and 25).
The Local Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to be tabled by Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, seeks to amend Sections 10, 10A, and 11 of the Ordinance to increase the number of councillors from 30 to 33, and to empower the State Cabinet (MMKN) to amend schedules under the Ordinance via changes to Section 172A.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to be tabled by Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, proposes amendments to 10 sections and introduces three new sections (6A, 29A, and 33A) to strengthen the council’s enforcement powers and governance.
“Notably, it introduces financial penalties of up to RM20 million for any breach or non-compliance with the Ordinance, with collected penalties to be deposited into the State Consolidated Fund,” Asfia noted.
The Land Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to be tabled by Deputy Premier and Second Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, seeks to amend 24 sections and introduce three new ones.
The main thrust of the bill is the formal recognition of wakaf (religious endowment) lands under a new Section 171A, which would also allow similar applications from other religions. It also includes provisions for regulating rock materials and streamlining planning procedures and utility coordination.
The remaining two bills are supplementary supply bills—the Supplementary Supply (2024) Bill, 2025 and Supplementary Supply (2025) Bill, 2025—both of which will be tabled by Uggah. — DayakDaily
