KUCHING: Several differing interpretations about jurisdictions, including those regarding borders and land in Sabah, Sarawak, and at the federal level, need to be finalised by the Cabinet, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has said.
The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister stated that the matter was discussed in the technical committee meeting under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council, which he chaired on May 28.
"Differing interpretations relate to the jurisdiction of waters, including our continental shelves, meaning where our borders are. Sarawak’s interpretation is that we have our own laws and state borders before Malaysia was founded.
"There are different legal views at the federal level and interpretation at the state level in Sabah and Sarawak. This matter must be brought to the Cabinet to determine its direction. There are some matters that we agree to disagree on,” he told reporters after officiating the Dragon Boat Festival celebrations here on Sunday (June 9).
He also mentioned that the conflicting stamp duty jurisdiction between the federal level and both states was among the matters yet to be agreed upon in the meeting.
"Sarawak’s interpretation is that it is the state’s jurisdiction, but it is mentioned in the Constitution that stamp duty is federal jurisdiction. So that’s another instance of differing interpretations, and we have to resolve it," he said.
Sarawak representatives at previous MA63 Implementation Action Council meetings included all three Sarawak deputy premiers, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, while Sabah was represented by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey G Kitingan. – Bernama
