KUCHING: Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for trusting him to steer and focus on the affairs of Sabah and Sarawak, especially the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
The Deputy Prime Minister said he was given the task to ensure that matters related to MA63 are expedited, especially those that cause anxiety and need to be resolved immediately.
“Myself and the Deputy Prime Minister 1 Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid were also given the task of ensuring that the economic gap between the people in the peninsula as well as Sabah and Sarawak will be reduced by the measures that will be taken to overcome the problem.
“Thank you Prime Minister for the trust given. Thank you also for listening to the voice of the people of Sarawak, especially the request voiced by the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg,” he said in a post on his Facebook.
He noted that Abang Johari had previously appealed to the Federal government to facilitate negotiations to restore Sarawak’s rights in MA63 which had been eroded.
“The Premier hopes that negotiations on several matters will reach positive results for the common good,” he explained.
Earlier in a press conference after chairing his first Cabinet meeting, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said several matters related to MA63 were still in the negotiation stage and he wanted Fadillah to examine and expedite its implementation.
“Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof is now assigned to deal with all matters related to MA63, so that negotiations between the federal (government), Sabah and Sarawak will be accelerated,” Anwar said.
He also said Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had spoken about existing regulations that prevent business, such as official approval for project implementation, from being done.
He said he wanted this matter to be streamlined, as he did not want to see any delay in the approval of development projects.
Anwar added that his unity government would also strive to bridge the development gap between rural and urban areas in Sabah and Sarawak.
“This aims to address the issue of poverty in rural and regional areas in Sabah and Sarawak, and similar efforts would also be made for Peninsular Malaysia.
“However, for Sabah and Sarawak, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi is expected to work closely with Fadillah to help bridge the development gap and eradicate poverty,” he explained.
