By Yusoff A. Shariff
SABAH Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor emphasised that the state’s position over the quest for the repatriation 40 percent of all income procured from the state still stands during an online meeting with the Prime Minister on Thursday (Sept 8).
He said the state government would not ease up in asking for the 40 percent special grant as stated under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
The Chief Minister told this to the Special Council on the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) meeting led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob via video conference.
Last April, Hajiji said the state was happy to get the four-fold increase in special grant from the Federal Government. However, he said Sabah would still seek for the repatriation of the 40 percent revenue from Putrajaya.
He said, although the increase in special grants is welcomed, talks would still continue to get the 40 percent owed by the Federal Government, as stated in MA63.
In a statement today, (Friday 9 Sept) Hajiji also highlighted the need for the establishment of security outposts at the Malaysia-Indonesia border to be increased.
He said he recently went to Sebatik to check on the three security outposts (Burst-Point, Wallace Bay and Sungai Melayu), where he found that there is need for upgrading.
According to Hajiji, the Yang di-pertuan Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin had given his consent to the appointment of Judicial Commissioners in Sabah to be based on the administrative mechanism.
The government of Sabah also agreed with Sarawak that the Governor’s consent must first be obtained before the proposed appointment is submitted to the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Hajiji said the Governor had also agreed for the appointment of another representative from Sabah to be on the Inland Revenue Board.
The meeting also agreed on the merit to increase the number of parliamentary seats in Sabah and Sarawak, which the prime minister said he would present to the Federal Cabinet for deliberation.
-BTS Media
