Borneo states’ rights to come under scrutiny
Nancy Shukri says technical panel to make a report to the Cabinet by year-end after studying non-compliance of matters relating to rights and position of Sabah and Sarawak.
PETALING JAYA: The federal government is setting up a technical commitee to identify issues of non-compliance in matters relating to the rights and position of Sabah and Sarawak within the federation.
In a statement today, Nancy Shukri, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the committee would comprise representatives of the Federal Government, the Sabah and Sarawak state governments, and historians from the two Borneo states.
The committee will identify the issues of non-compliance from the context of the Inter-Governmental Committee Report, Malaysia Agreement 1963, Malaysia Act, Federal Constitution and other written reports or documents such as the Cobbold Commission Report.
The committee will then provide recommendations and solutions for Putrajaya’s consideration.
Nancy voiced hope that the committee’s first report would be ready for the Cabinet by the end of the year. She said the decision to set up the committee was made at a recent high-level meeting on the rights of the two east Malaysian states.
The meeting, co-chaired by Nancy and foreign minister Anifah Aman, also involved the Attorney-General, and representatives of the federal government and the two states.
Nancy praised Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem, saying Adenan’s determination in pursuing Sarawak’s interests was not mere lip service.
“The Prime Minister and Federal Government are equally concerned and are very responsive towards the requests made by Sabah and Sarawak,” she said, adding top leaders from both states have a very good relationship with prime minister Najib Razak and other federal leaders.
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“Now it’s time for us to deliver the aspirations of the people of Sarawak, “It’s no longer just talk, but to walk the talk of our Chief Minister.”