Unity govt committed to realising MA63, says DPM Fadillah

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — The unity government is committed to realising matters agreed upon in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to safeguard the well-being of the people of Sabah and Sarawak, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said many efforts and matters agreed upon in MA63 had been implemented within one month since the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim governed the country.

“As an inclusive Malaysia, it is our responsibility to implement MA63 as agreed by our previous leaders...that is the prime minister’s message to me.

“Many things had indeed been discussed, and some had been implemented during the previous administration, but still many left to do.

“And within one month (of Unity Government administration), we have agreed to several matters, including the transfer of gas supply (regulatory power) to Sabah and special grants under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution. However, there are several matters that we hope will be resolved soon,” he said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme last night.

Meanwhile, Fadillah said the increase in allocation for Sabah and Sarawak in Budget 2023 compared to last year proved the government’s commitment and determination to improve the welfare of the people and development in the two states.

He said although some quarters compared the allocations received by the two states, there was an increase in the figures, adding that the government’s focus was on infrastructure development in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Our priority is to speed up the development of social amenities, water supply and other basic facilities.

“The important thing is that there is commitment and increase in allocation. The focus is now on its implementation. If it is good, then (the benefits) will be felt by the people and the development gap can be bridged,” he said.

In Budget 2023, some RM6.5 billion has been allocated for Sabah compared to RM5.16 billion in 2022, while Sarawak is to receive RM5.6 billion compared to RM4.67 billion (2022). — Bernama