KUCHING: The Federal government has been urged to distribute the special grants under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution to Sarawak based on the formula submitted by the state.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that the special grant given to Sarawak cannot be the same as what Sabah received.
“The special grant to Sabah cannot be used as a guideline on the amount to be given to Sarawak, this is because Sarawak has a huge land size and its needs are different,” he said.
He told reporters this in a press conference after handing over 66 sacrificial cows for Santubong parliamentary constituency in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration at the Agriculture Department Livestock Quarantine Station, Jalan Bako today.
Wan Junaidi, who is also Santubong MP, hoped the Federal government and the Finance Ministry would not be ‘keras kepala’ (hard headed) or stubborn.
“… Know and read the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) as it had stated the promises to attract Sabah and Sarawak to be part of forming Malaysia.
“One of the big promises is development for Sarawak and the state leaders then wanted to see the development of Sarawak to be on par with Semenanjung Malaysia,” he said.
During the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting in May, Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali in reply to Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap said that the Sarawak government had submitted a formula on the revenue distribution under Article 112D of Federal Constitution.
She said the formula submitted was to ensure that the special grants to Sarawak could be distributed fairly and equitably.
“In fact, the Premier, who is also Minister of Finance and New Economy has emphasised that the special grant to Sarawak ought to be based on a reasonable and pragmatic formula, taking into account the financial position of the Federal government as stipulated in Article 112D of the Federal Constitution,” she said.
