KUCHING, April 2 — The proposed Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRB) amendment Bill to include a provision on the appointment of Sarawak and Sabah representatives in the IRB board of directors is expected to be tabled in the Parliament next month, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is Petra Jaya MP, said he had instructed the Finance Ministry to expedite the preparation of the draft bill to enable the Bill to be tabled next month.
“The Ministry of Finance will present the Bill in Parliament. The amendment to the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRB) Act 1995 where the provision on the appointment of the board of directors of the Inland Revenue Board will include representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.
“I have asked them (the finance ministry) to present the Bill during May session. So this will need an amendment, and to be tabled in the Parliament.” he said when met at a meeting session with Parti Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Petra Jaya youths in Jalan Matang, Gita here last night.
He opined that the tabling of the amendment Bill should be expedited so that Sabah and Sarawak special rights will be recognised in the Federal Constitution as spelt out in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Fadillah explained that although Sabah and Sarawak representatives were now in the IRB board of directors, this would not be able to safeguard the two states’ special rights as the appointments were retractable.
“We have implemented the appointment of board members from Sabah and Sarawak through administration. But from a legal perspective, this appointment has not yet been constitutionalised.
“That is why we want to amend the law because we want to make sure the appointment will reflect our special rights in the federation.
“The constitutional amendment will empower our status if the law has been amended in the Parliament,” he said. — Borneo Post
