Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has made great strides in securing the rights of Sabahans under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), a state lawmaker said, adding that Warisan’s efforts pale in comparison.
Norazlinah Arif said the ruling coalition has carried out its task quietly and without resorting to political grandstanding.
The Kunak assemblyman said that although Warisan leveraged MA63 to consolicate public support during its time in office between 2018 and 2020, very little progress was achieved.
“At the time they claimed to have resolved 17 of the 21 MA63 demands,” she said.
“However, in 2023, then Sabah and Sarawak affairs minister Armizan Mohd Ali clarified that those points had already been agreed upon previously at the policy level but were not implemented.”
At that time, Armizan rejected Warisan’s claim, asserting that no right could be deemed secured unless it had been fully implemented for the public’s benefit.
“GRS very rarely uses MA63 to score political points, but it has overseen encouraging results, such as the increase in the interim payments (by Putrajaya to the state) to RM600 million,” the former Wanita Warisan chief told FMT.
In 2022, Putrajaya agreed to pay Sabah RM125.6 million by way of a special grant, up from an annual allocation of RM26.7 million previously.
The following year, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim authorised an interim payment to the state of RM300 million, before doubling the amount this year.
“I am confident that if GRS remains in government, many of our rights will be restored — just as regulatory control over Sabah’s power supply was successfully returned to the state government,” said Norazlinah.
In March, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said that apart from these two issues, the unity and state governments had resolved an additional nine key MA63-related claims.
These include the recognition of the state’s public works and irrigation and drainage departments as technical departments for the purposes of Treasury Instruction 182 (AP182).
Also, the Inland Revenue Board Act 1995 has been amended to allow a Sabah representative to sit as a permanent board member.
Special guidelines are also being drawn up to govern the resumption of land reserved for federal purposes in the state.
On Sept 12, the federal government is scheduled to deliberate on Sabah’s proposal to reclaim its 40% net revenue entitlement.
Meanwhile, Banggi assemblyman Mohammad Mohamarin raised doubts about his former party Warisan’s commitment to the resolution of MA63 issues.
He recalled that there was very little meaningful discussion on the subject during his time in the party.
“Under GRS, the matter would be raised (at the coalition’s pre-council meeting) every time a state assembly sitting approaches,” he said.
Mohammad said chief minister Hajiji Noor would touch on efforts made to introduce or amend enactments linked to MA63 and how his government intended to go about securing these rights.
