KUCHING: Sarawak wants a formula for its special grant under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution to be finalised, says a deputy minister in the Sarawak Premier's Department.
Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said this was one of the unresolved issues prioritised by the Sarawak government in the ongoing negotiations with Putrajaya on the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
"For now, our top priorities include the special grant formula as part of the financial review under Article 112D.
"We hope discussions on this will be expedited and that it will be acted upon and agreed to," she told Lidam Assan (GPS-Katibas) during question time in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (May 21).
Sarawak and Sabah are entitled to special grants from the Federal Government under Article 112D, which provides for a review of the grants every five years subject to the Federal Government's financial position and the states' needs.
Putrajaya increased the amount of Sarawak's special grant from RM16mil to RM300mil last year and RM600mil this year, pending the outcome of negotiations for a fixed formula.
Sharifah Hasidah said another matter of priority was the proposed increase in parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak to better reflect the spirit and intent of MA63.
She said Sarawak would continue to pursue these matters through dialogue, consultation and diplomacy.
"I want to reiterate that our stand and firm position in all our negotiations is always 'Sarawak First'," she said.
"This means the Federal Government must acknowledge our constitutional and legal rights as enshrined in MA63, the Inter-Governmental Committee Report, Federal and state constitutions,and state laws."
