Adenan wants talks on second phase of devolution of power to start immediately

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Adenan

Adenan

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem wants negotiations on the second phase of devolution of power on the state’s rights to start immediately now that the federal government has shown response to the state’s request for talks on these matters.

Commenting on the statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri on Saturday in which she noted that the federal government had been equally concerned and very responsive towards the request made by the governments of Sarawak and Sabah, he said he welcomed the approaches that were made.

“I welcome the statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri on administrative and constitutional empowerment in relation to our request to the federal government to consider the Cobbold Commission Report and recommendations, the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) report and recommendations, the Malaysia Act and the Malaysia Agreement.

“This means there is some response from the federal government to our request for talks on these matters,” he said in a statement issued by his press secretary Ambrose Cheng yesterday.

He also acknowledged that though the process might take some time due to its complexity and that it had long been drawn out, nevertheless the state government was ‘beginning to walk the talk now.’

In her statement, Nancy disclosed that she along with Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman were appointed by the federal cabinet to pursue the second phase of devolution of power on the state’s rights under the constitution in respect of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 together with the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

According to her, the first high-level meeting held on June 13 agreed to the setting up of a technical committee comprising representatives nominated by Sarawak and Sabah governments together with representatives from the federal government and historians from the two states.

“The committee will identify the issues of non-compliance from the context of Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGC), Malaysia Agreement 1963, Malaysia Act, Federal Constitution and other written reports or documents such as Cobbold Commission Report and to provide recommendation and solution for the consideration of the federal government,” she said, adding that the first report based on the recommendation and solution is expected to be ready for presentation to the federal cabinet by year-end.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing said the state government’s persistence in pursuing these matters was moving in the right direction given that the federal government was now considering to review the Cobbold Commission and Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGC) within the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

“However, to right the wrong which occurred within the 50-year period will take time and as such, Sarawakians must learn to be patient,” he advised.

On the technical committee being set up to oversee these matters, Masing suggested that the committee consist of Sarawakians who are well versed in the history of Malaysian Federation.

“The name that immediately comes to my mind is (former federal minister) Tan Sri Leo Moggie Irok, who is a historian by training,” he proposed.