KUCHING, Oct 16 — The increase in the interim payment of the special grant to Sarawak to RM1.5 billion does not constitute a definitive solution, said Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
She stressed that the Sarawak government would continue to push for a clear and consistent formula to be established under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
“For a long-term solution, the Sarawak government has proposed that a clear and consistent formula be established to determine the rate of the special grant.
“The proposed formula is still being discussed by the Sarawak and Federal governments, and no final formula has been agreed upon so far,” she said during the question-and-answer session at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
Sharifah Hasidah was responding to a question from Royston Valentine (GPS-Tellian) on the latest status of claims under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) following the interim special grant.
In response to a supplementary question on Sarawak’s stance in the event of a change in the Federal administration, she stressed that the state government would continue to champion Sarawak’s rights under MA63, regardless of who led the Federal government.
On September 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an increase in Sarawak’s interim special grant to RM1.5 billion, up from RM600 million previously, effective this year. — Bernama