Kota Kinabalu: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah & Sarawak Affairs and Special Duties) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali has firmly denied that 17 out of 21 issues related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have been resolved as claimed by a Warisan leader.
He also dismissed a claim by the leader that these 17 issues were resolved when the party was helming the State Government.
“Actually I am not interested to respond but when my name and my written answers in Parliament were mentioned to validate what the leader has claimed, I stand to correct. Plus I see there is an attempt to manipulate facts that could mislead the people of Sabah.
“I totally deny that 17 out of the 21 issues had been resolved. In fact, not even up to 17 had been resolved.
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Armizan said this after closing a workshop on State Disaster Operation and Management involving 17 agencies related to rescuing victims of natural disaster here.
“I really don’t know how this leader come to a conclusion based on my written answer,” he said, when commenting on Warisan Information Chief Datuk Azis Jamman and Kota Belud MP Isnaraisah Munirah Majilis diring a live discussion in social media site Facebook who claimed that Armizan had stated that 17 issues had been resolved during the Parliament session.
Among the 17 agencies are Civil Defence Force (APM), firefighters, and National Disaster Management Authority (Nadma) senior officials.
Armizan, who is Minister in charge of MA63 matters, said people should ask Warisan, and not him, on how exactly they defined the 17 issues as having been resolved.
He said resolving means completed and implemented, and not just being brought up because Sabah leaders have been raising MA63 issues before Warisan existed.
Armizan revealed that there some matters raised in the JKKMA63 during the then PH with Warisan at State level at that time had been decided to be dropped such as on the issue of the management and administration of the judicial body in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the present Unity Government had raised the issue again in the MA63 Action Council which is the claim of Sabah and Sarawak’s jurisdiction on Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, and appointment of Judicial Commissioner through the Head of State to be empowered which have not yet been implemented.
“To me, dropping those two claims under judicial body, by Warisan was an act of betrayal on the aspiration of the people of Sabah who want these in the spirit of MA63 to have improvements in the management and administration of Sabah and Sarawak judiciaries.”
“During our 100 days in governing, we have resolved our demand/ claim for Public Works Department (PWD) and Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) to become technical departments which we have resolved and implemented. These two departments are now busy carrying out various developments.
“The handover of gas regulatory authority from Federal to Sabah was resolved in January, while the taking over electricity supply from Federal would be realised in January next year and this one is partially completed.”
On number of issues related to MA63 that have been resolved under the Unity Government, he said he did not have the exact data in his hand now because there are new issues raised under the MA63 Special Action Council which they have yet categorise including fully resolved like the taking over of gas supply regulatory power from Federal government and partially resolved issue of Sabah taking over electricity supply from Federal government in January next year.
“The revision of Article 112D is partially completed but the revision is not according to the total amount, which is not what Sabah and Sarawak have expected.
“Especially Sabah which clearly stated in revision on the Article 112C of the 40 per cent entitlement is that we consider as partially completed. There are revisions but not fully completed.
“There are also those issues that have not been completed but a policy decision on them have been made.
For instance, there is a policy decision that calls for Article 112D to be reviewed on issuing special grant to Sabah but it has not been resolved because when the amount of the review is agreed and implemented, then this issue can be considered as fully resolved,” Armizan said.
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