NEGOTIATIONS for Sarawak’s special grants entitlement under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution is currently being pursued through a Joint Consultative Committee Meeting under the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MKMA63)
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali (GPS-Samariang) said the Sarawak Government has also requested for this Joint Consultative Committee Meeting to be held in the near future.
“This is so that the formula for reviewing the Special Grant under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution and other related matters can be discussed and agreed upon, to ensure that special grants to Sarawak can be distributed fairly and equitably,” she said.
Sharifah Hasidah said this in response to Wilfred Yap (GPS-Kota Sentosa) during question and answer time at the DUN sitting here today.
She pointed out that the Sarawak Government has also submitted a formula for reviewing the special grant under article 112D of the Federal Constitution to ensure the grant to Sarawak can be distributed fairly and equitably.
“In fact Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has emphasised that the special grant to Sarawak ought to be based on a reasonable and a pragmatic formula.
“We do not want the federal government to simply give out any figure, taking into account the financial position of the federal government as stipulated under article 112D of the Federal Constitution.”
In the event that the federal and state government are unable to reach an agreement, she said it can be resolved according to Article 112D (6) of the Federal Constitution.
“If on any review the federal government and the state government are unable to reach agreement on any matter, it shall be referred to an independent assessor, and his recommendations thereon shall be binding on the governments concerned and shall be given effect as if they were the agreement of those governments.”
