KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government’s decision to defer the implementation of the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) Act 2024 in the state is the right move but it should also put forward progressive alternatives, says a Parti Warisan representative.
Tungku assemblyman Assaffal P. Alian said these alternatives also should not neglect the restoration of the state’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He added that Sabah does not reject cooperation with the Federal Government, but is against any form of centralisation of power that erodes the original spirit of MA63.
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"The model we want is one of 'power-sharing' based on the principle of sovereign regions, not mere political confrontation.
"I appreciate the swift response from Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in deferring the implementation of the Act in Sabah following identified elements of the erosion of state powers," he said in a statement on Thursday (May 14).
At the same time, Assafal proposed a plan to restore the balance of power under MA63, including the full restoration of the original text of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
According to him, previous amendments, particularly in 1997 and 2002, systematically transferred appointment and directive powers from the state level to the Home Minister at federal level.
He said these amendments diminished the executive role of the Sabah Chief Minister as guaranteed in the 1963 Bill.
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"All amendments that have taken over state executive powers must be reviewed and returned to their original source of authority," he said, adding that the Sabah Immigration director must be appointed jointly by the state and the Home Ministry.
"Sabah must have a say in determining who administers the entry points of our territory, to ensure that the individual concerned has direct constitutional responsibility to the state authorities.
"I also propose the establishment of a Sabah Border Security Council chaired by the Chief Minister to coordinate the functions of immigration, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and related agencies.
"With such a council, Sabah will be seen as bringing forward an integrated security solution, proving that we are capable of managing our own territorial security without having to rely entirely on a new federal agency," he added.
