Anwar said it was important to resolve the matter, to prove that the Unity Government was serious about fulfilling the promises made in MA63.
Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said annual expenditure distribution and the appointment of Sabah and Sarawak representatives in the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) are among the main issues in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) which have been successfully resolved by the Unity Government.He said the Government also agreed to transfer the authority for expenditure on public infrastructure development to Sabah and Sarawak, through their respective State Public Works Departments (PWDs).
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He added that the Federal Government will also fund public infrastructure construction projects in Sabah and Sarawak, with the entire allocation being distributed to the state governments conditionally, but that it must go through strict financial supervision and regulations and be monitored by the Ministry of Finance.
“As an example, of the annual allocation, for example, Sarawak has only received RM16 million thus far and the amount is considered unreasonable for them.
“Therefore, we created a format and regulations to increase the allocation to RM300 million per year, subject to some details of the agreement,” he said when met by reporters after the Chinese New Year open house, hosted by the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), at the KLSCAH building, here.
Anwar said it was important to resolve the matter, to prove that the Unity Government was serious about fulfilling the promises made in MA63.
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Earlier, Anwar, in his speech, stressed that most of the provisions in the MA63 agreement which have been unresolved for more than 60 years, were successfully completed during the MA63 Implementation Action Council meeting, attended by the Sabah Chief Minister and Sarawak Premier, last Friday.
The Prime Minister said the issues were successfully resolved through the support and spirit of unity of all the political coalitions which make up the Unity Government.
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Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, described the success of resolving most of the main issues in MA63 was being driven by the firmness and sincerity of the leadership of the Unity Government.
He also said the Government will always ensure good governance by upholding the principle of integrity, especially rejecting corrupt practices, to ensure that the country’s development plan can be realised.
He said all parties in the Unity Government had been given clear instructions on the matter.
“We give clear rules; if you want to be strong (stable) and get the support of the people, leaders must reject corruption and abuse of power.
“In this case, I stand firm, if you want to get rich, go out and become a businessman, not a minister, because if you do, the country will be ruined,” he said.
Anwar said in that regard he introduced the Malaysia Madani, as he is convinced that Malaysia’s great potential can only be optimised if the principle of integrity is upheld and there are no corrupt practices, while leaders or ministers are not racing to accumulate wealth.
The Prime Minister said he was firm on the matter, and thus far, all members of the Cabinet understood the direction outlined and implemented good governance consistently.
“Malaysia is a rich country with a lot of capabilities, but if the leadership is still in the old way, the country will be ruined.
“However, during these two months, I have seen all the ministers consistently implement good governance; no corruption in the affairs and administration of their respective ministries,” he said.
In this regard, the Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the leaders in the Unity Government from Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), who, in terms of principle, are all very strict and do not tolerate acts of corruption.
In the meantime, Anwar once again reiterated the Government’s stance to continue to focus on empowering the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in Budget 2023, which will be tabled on Feb 24.
The Prime Minister said that SME is one of the sectors which the Government needs to focus on after it having being adversely affected throughout the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Anwar also called for all levels of society to strengthen the spirit of unity, set aside any racial differences and concentrate all efforts to develop the country’s economy.
“Within this month, I have seen investors from China, Europe, America, India and Australia keen to come to Malaysia... therefore, it is very important to maintain harmony, so that Malaysia continues to be an attraction for investment,” he said.
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