PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet will decide on the differing interpretation of jurisdiction over borders and land between the federal government, and Sabah and Sarawak, says deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who is also the energy transition and water transformation minister, said the matter had been discussed at the technical committee meeting under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) implementation action council that he chaired on May 28.
“There are different interpretations relating to the jurisdiction of waters, including our continental shelf, indicating where our borders are.
“Sarawak’s interpretation is that it had its own laws and state borders before Malaysia was founded.
“There are differing legal views at the federal level and at the state level (Sabah and Sarawak). So this matter must be brought to the Cabinet to determine the future direction.
“There are some matters that we’ve agreed to disagree on,” Bernama reported him as saying after officiating the Dragon Boat Festival celebration in Kuching today.
Fadillah said the conflicting stamp duty at the federal level and in both states was also among matters brought up at the meeting.
“Sarawak’s interpretation is that it is under the state’s jurisdiction but it is mentioned in the Federal Constitution that stamp duty is under federal jurisdiction.
“So that’s another instance of differing interpretations that we have to resolve,” he said.
Sarawak representatives at previous MA63 implementation action council meetings included all three Sarawak deputy premiers, Douglas Uggah Embas, Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Dr Sim Kui Hian. Sabah was represented by deputy chief minister Jeffrey Kitingan.
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