Sarawak wants reps to sit on LHDN board

 

Deputy minister Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali has told the Sarawak state assembly that negotiations on outstanding issues under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 are ongoing.

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has submitted a proposal to have representatives from the state sit on the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) board of directors.

Deputy minister in the premier’s department (law, Malaysia Agreement 1963 and federal-state relations) Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said this was to ensure the Sarawak government was aware of the state’s financial position to assist in discussing and negotiating the special grants under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.

However, the Sarawak government has yet to receive any feedback from the federal government, she told the state assembly.

She was responding to supplementary questions from Ibrahim Baki (GPS-Satok) on the unresolved claims from the state government under MA63.

Sharifah said the state government will continue discussions and negotiations with the federal government to ensure its claims can be resolved successfully.

She said the state government has submitted proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution as part of efforts to restore the rights of Sarawak.

“For example, the Sarawak government has proposed amendments to the Legislative List in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, specifically to remove ‘Tourism’ from Item 25A in List I (Federal List), to be listed as one of the items in List III (Concurrent List).”

Earlier, Sharifah said four claims by the state government under MA63 had been resolved through MA63 Special Council meetings.

“Among them is the negotiation agreement between the Sarawak government and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) through a Commercial Settlement Agreement (CSA), and recognition of Sarawak’s right to impose sales tax on petroleum products,” she said.

She also said five claims from the state government are still being negotiated

“This includes the issue of the judicial administration in Sabah and Sarawak, and the proposed recognition of the state public works department, the irrigation and drainage department, the rural water supply department, as well as technical departments under Treasury Direction 182.

“Apart from that, the claims include the proposed increase in the number of Dewan Rakyat members from Sabah and Sarawak, and discussion on the special grant revision formula under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution,” she said. - FMT