PETALING JAYA: The Federal and State Governments of Sabah and Sarawak have agreed on several important education issues under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof in a statement on Monday (Aug 18).
“The consensus includes planning of school projects, sharing information about senior officer transfers, and receiving funds for professional development programs,” he said.
“For matters that have not been agreed upon, we will continue to be discussed in the Joint Action Committee for Educational Development of Sabah and Sarawak under the Education Ministry,” he said after chairing the Technical Committee Meeting under the Implementation Action Council for MA63 for the second time.
In addition to education, the meeting addressed health issues, which Sabah and Sarawak strongly urged.
“These include increases in operations and development expenses, granting certain autonomous powers to the state health directors, and strengthening human resources in the Sabah and Sarawak State Health Departments.
He also stated in the document that issues not yet agreed upon would continue to be discussed during the Joint Action Committee on Health Development for Sabah and Sarawak, under the Health Ministry.
This meeting, which was a preparation for the upcoming council meeting to be chaired by the Prime Minister in Kuching on Sept 12, was also attended by representatives from the Federal Government, alongside the Sabah and Sarawak governments.
Meanwhile, he also added in the statement that two reports were presented by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department and another by the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry.
“The meeting decided that both papers will be tabled at the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) meeting for finalisation of the methods.
At the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, Fadillah said that 13 out of the 29 demands under the MA63 have been resolved and nine of the 13 were finalised during the Madani administration, while four were carried out through previous administrations.
“This includes education, health, petroleum and oil royalties,” said the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry.
