Sabah land laws need amendments to collect sales tax like Sarawak, says Shafie

Chief Minister Shafie Apdal explains reason for special one-day state assembly sitting next month. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal has called for a special state assembly sitting next month as there are certain laws that need amendments.

Speaking to reporters after attending the Sabah branch of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) luncheon today, Shafie said the Sabah Land Ordinance will need to be reviewed to emulate what Sarawak has done.

He said Sabah does not have the Minerals Ordinance 2004 and Land Code 1958, the way Sarawak does.

“They are able to do some adjustment with regards to sales tax but we can’t do it here in Sabah. So, we need to look into the matter,” he said.

Apart from the land laws, Shafie said there are other laws, including the Sabah Constitution, that need to be looked into but did not elaborate.

Social media users have been speculating on Shafie’s intention in calling for the one-day special sitting of the assembly.

Some said it was intended to amend the Sabah Constitution to allow the current head of state, Juhar Mahiruddin, to remain in his post.

Under the Sabah Constitution, the post of head of state is limited to only two terms and Juhar’s term is supposed to end soon.

Shafie, however, did not mention whether the special sitting will be to amend this specific law.

Leaders from the Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS) also said they had no knowledge of the issue.

Meanwhile, commenting on the planned protest against the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) by members of the opposition after Friday prayers tomorrow, Shafie said personally, he believed what his religion teaches, namely to love and respect one another.

“It is important for us not to have extremism in our lives. We don’t want racism as it will only give a bad name to you and your good religion, be it Christianity or Islam.

“We can’t refrain people from practising their own religion. They have every right. I don’t think Malaysia is doing it.

“In Sabah, we are so free that even the Sabah government is helping churches and other non-Muslim religions,” he said.

Shafie only laughed when asked whether he was in support of the ICERD or not, or whether there is a need for the protest at all.

“I only want to develop Sabah,” he said. - FMT