Sabah stands firm in rejecting law that restricts state’s maritime boundary: Hajiji
Published on: Saturday, January 21, 2023
By: Bernama
.jpg "Sabah stands firm in rejecting law that restricts state’s maritime boundary: Hajiji")
The Chief Minister says the Act impedes Sabah’s ability to impose its own laws on matters beyond three nautical miles at sea. (Bernama pic)
Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah government is maintaining its stand in rejecting the Territorial Sea Act 2012, which limits the state’s maritime boundary to only three nautical miles, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
Reiterating its stand at the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting in Kuching, Sarawak, on Friday, Hajiji said the Act had impeded Sabah’s ability to impose its own laws on matters beyond three nautical miles at sea.
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This includes Sabah state sales tax, especially involving petroleum products, and the state authorities’ power on immigration issues.
“Sabah opined that its sea boundary should be more than 200 nautical miles per the North Borneo (Alteration of Boundaries) Order in Council 1954,” he said in a statement here.
During the state assembly sitting on Sept 23, 2021, Hajiji said the Sabah government’s stand is that the state’s boundary rights should be as enshrined in the Order in Council, which covers the continental shelf.
The MA63 Implementation Action Council meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
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Meanwhile, Hajiji said the state government welcomes the announcement by Anwar that all outstanding issues in MA63 have passed the discussion process and are now in the implementation stage.
“The only issue is on technicalities, and we look forward to working with the federal government to ensure all our demands are fully resolved. The Sabah government has complete confidence and trust that under Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership, Sabah’s MA63 demands will be resolved amicably soon.
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“This is for the mutual benefit of both state and federal governments in our efforts to bring progress and prosperity throughout the country for people,” said Hajiji.
He said the Sabah government also welcomed the Prime Minister’s acknowledgement that Malaysia comprised three entities — Sabah, Sarawak and Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, as stated in the MA63.
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