The Borneo Post

MA63 on Fadillah’s shoulders

DPM tasked with expediting all ma ers related to restoration of Borneo rights

Lim How Pim

KUCHING: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has been tasked with expediting all ma ers related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to continue restoring the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.

In announcing this yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said some MA63related ma ers remained in the negotiation stage and he wants Fadillah to look into them and expedite their implementation.

“Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is now tasked to deal with all ma ers related to MA63, so that negotiations between federal, Sabah and Sarawak will be expedited,” he told a press conference yesterday a er chairing his first Cabinet meeting since his appointment as prime minister.

Anwar also noted that Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had talked about existing regulations ge ing in the way of seeing ma ers such as official approval for the implementation of projects being done.

He said he wants this to be streamlined as he would not want to see any delay in the approval of development projects.

“Premier (of Sarawak) has said that the existing regulations are deterring development as there are too many departments to go through (for approval). This process can be streamlined.”

Anwar added his unity government will also look into bridging the development gap between rural and urban areas in Sabah and Sarawak.

“This is aimed at addressing poverty issues in rural and regional areas in Sabah and Sarawak, and similar efforts will also be done for Peninsular Malaysia,” he said.

However, for Sabah and Sarawak, Anwar said Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi is expected to work closely with Fadillah to help bridge the gap in development and eradicate poverty.

Meanwhile, Fadillah said his focus will be on implementing various initiatives to foster closer relations between Sarawak, Sabah and the peninsula.

He said the initiative to bridge the facilities and development gap in Sarawak and Sabah was also his main concern a er he was entrusted with the role of deputy prime minister representing Sabah and Sarawak region.

“I think we should focus on the gap in terms of relationship between the three regions (Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia) so that they can be brought closer together.

“There is also the need to create a true Malaysian spirit which is not region-based and to assimilate the values of the norms and cultures,” he said when met at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.

“Expectations from the Borneo states are quite high. To carry out this task, I need the cooperation of not only the Borneo MPs but we have to work together with all MPs to see how we can bridge the gap between the three regions,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is now tasked to deal with all ma ers related to MA63…

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

On yesterday’s special Cabinet meeting, Fadillah said the prime minister made clear the direction that the Cabinet ministers need to take as well as the work that needs to be done especially in dealing with the cost of living challenges and in ensuring good governance.

He also informed that the actual Cabinet meeting would be held tomorrow (Dec 7 to clarify the functions of each ministry.

“We want to address the overlapping tasks to make them clear because issues over the cost of living involve several ministries,” he said.

Fadillah clocked in at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office in Perdana Putra at 12.04pm after attending the special Cabinet meeting chaired by Anwar. Earlier at 8.30am, he began his official duties at Plantation and Commodities Ministry and attended a briefing session on the ministry.

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2022-12-06T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-06T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://epaper.theborneopost.com/article/281496460313946

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