By Amanda L
KUCHING, Sept 16: Sarawak is looking to turn the retention of tourism under the Concurrent List into closer Federal-State cooperation to develop the sector, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the federal government’s agreement to place tourism under the Concurrent List in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution would open up greater room for collaboration between Putrajaya and Sarawak.
“This step will open up room for stronger collaboration and cooperation between the federal government and the Sarawak government to advance tourism,” he said in his Malaysia Day 2026 address at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here tonight.
Abang Johari said tourism was a new field that emerged after the formation of Malaysia and was therefore a residual subject under the Federal Constitution.
He expressed appreciation for the federal government’s agreement to place tourism under the Concurrent List, saying the move would facilitate closer cooperation between both levels of government in developing the sector.
He said the recognition of Sarawak’s rights and special position, together with a more serious approach towards balanced development across all regions, would strengthen the country’s unity.
The agreement followed recent Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) talks in Kota Kinabalu, where the federal government had proposed moving tourism to the Federal List.
The Premier revealed on Sept 13 that Sarawak had rejected the proposal, arguing that tourism was not designated as an exclusively federal subject when Malaysia was formed and therefore remained a residual matter.
The federal government subsequently agreed in principle to retain tourism under the Concurrent List, allowing the sector to remain a shared responsibility between the federal government and the Borneo states. — DayakDaily
