Sabah's proposal to increase annual grants in MA63 committee meeting to be studied, says Ongkili

KOTA KINABALU: A joint technical committee will be set up to study Sabah's proposal to increase its annual grants.

The committee will be set up by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) under the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MKMA63).

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (pic) said this was decided after the first Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) JCC meeting between representatives from Sabah and the Federal Government on annual grants in Putrajaya, Thursday (Jan 6).

He said the technical committee will be scrutinising the Federal Government's counter-offer to Sabah's proposal.

However, he did not reveal what the counter-offers were.

Ongkili said they also discussed the terms and references on issues related to Sabah's special grants.

State Local Government and Housing Minister cum Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun made Sabah's submissions for review of the annual grant in appeal for urgent repayment of due claims to the state government during the meeting.

The meeting - chaired by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz - saw the Federal Government come up with a counteroffer.

"However, during the two-hour meeting, we agreed for a technical committee to study, in detail, the state's proposal and the counter-offer by the Federal Government," Ongkili said.

He added that the committee is hopeful that some conclusions can be reached on claims before the Special Council on MA63 meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob next month.

Also present in the meeting were Sabah Attorney General Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof, Finance Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Rusdin Musidi Riman, and former Sabah AG Datuk Brenndon Soh.