MA63: All outstanding issues to be resolved in stages, says PM

SANDAKAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has expressed his commitment to resolve all outstanding matters in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in stages.

Ismail Sabri, who is also MA63 Special Committee chairman, said this was to ensure that every agreement enshrined in MA63 could be fulfilled to bring about significant changes, including in Sabah.

He said many things had been achieved through the MA63 Special Committee, including petroleum cash payments from PETRONAS and sales tax on petroleum products to the state, worth almost RM5bil.

"I am the chairman of the (special committee), which meets every month with Sabah represented by the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor). I have given the commitment to resolve all outstanding matters in MA63 in stages.

"This is the commitment of the Federal Government, and I believe with what we are giving through MA63, Insya-Allah, big changes will take place in Sabah,” he said in his speech at a meet and greet programme with the people of Libaran at the Gum Gum People’s Housing Project here.

In the meantime, Ismail Sabri said the Barisan Nasional-led government would continue to give priority to developing Sabah, which can be seen through the RM6.3bil allocation for the state in Budget 2023, the highest allocation in Malaysia.

He said the allocation was the Federal Government’s commitment, among others, to improve the rural road infrastructure, upgrade dilapidated schools and rural clinics and speed up the development of broadband infrastructure in Sabah through the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela).

"We will ensure that the issue of dilapidated schools and rural clinics (in Sabah) is resolved. In addition, we aim to resolve (Internet coverage issues) and achieve 100% of 4G Internet coverage in Sabah within two years,” he said. - Bernama