Kota Kinabalu: The Federal Government’s decision to relinquish its rights over 3,655.60 hectares of strategic land in Sarawak to the State Government marks another significant step in the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.
He said the move demonstrated the Madani Government’s commitment to translating MA63 into tangible actions that reflected the current development needs of Sabah and Sarawak.
The latest decision follows a Cabinet memorandum by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability proposing the transfer of Federal rights over the former Rajang Area Security Command (Rascom) site in Sibu to the Sarawak Government.
The proposal covers four areas, including Nanga Tada, Nanga Jagau, Nanga Ngungun and Nanga Sekuau, with a total land area of 3,655.60 hectares.
As part of the transfer, the Sarawak Government will reimburse RM9,985,408.50 to cover costs incurred in the land acquisition process and land tax payments for land registered under the Federal Land Commissioner in Sarawak.
Mustapha said the arrangement reflected an orderly implementation of MA63 based on legal processes and close cooperation between the Federal and State governments.
“The decision completes the implementation of an earlier Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) resolution, which also saw several undeveloped Federal land lots returned to the Sarawak Government to enable the areas to be planned and developed according to the State’s priorities,” he said, Thursday.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s approach to implementing MA63 had enabled long-standing issues to be resolved progressively without affecting the close relationship between the Federal Government and the governments of Sabah and Sarawak.
Among the achievements, he said, was the increase in Sabah’s Interim Special Grant from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion annually.
Mustapha expressed confidence that the continued implementation of MA63 would strengthen the position of Sabah and Sarawak within the Federation while ensuring decisions taken would benefit the people of both regions.
