Hajiji said greater autonomy would ensure Sabah’s education system would continue to progress and make it easier to implement projects.

It would also show the federal government’s trust in the state government, especially in increasing the capacity of the education system in Sabah.

“We believe in autonomy. The state government through the (Sabah) science, technology and innovation ministry will have flexibility over various issues related to education,” Daily Express quoted him as saying.

He believed that local officials had a better understanding of the people’s problems in various areas, and autonomy would enable these problems to be resolved more efficiently.

In May, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said granting Sabah and Sarawak administrative authority in education and health was one of the important matters being discussed by Putrajaya’s Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) secretariat.

Fadillah said both states faced challenges in these sectors because their planning was implemented by Putrajaya, including matters like the recruitment of teachers and health workers.