Kabinet lulus pindaan perintah, serah kuasa alam sekitar kepada Sarawak

The Malaysian cabinet has approved the handover of environmental authority to Sarawak, according to Fahmi Fadzil, the royal court spokesperson. The decision came after the Cabinet received a memorandum from the Ministry of Indigenous and Natural Resources. The memorandum outlined the process for transferring the power to legislate in the environmental sector from the federal government to Sarawak.

The matter has now been approved by the Attorney General's Department and is awaiting approval from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim.

This decision reflects the commitment of the Prime Minister and the Madani government to continue strengthening the implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), particularly in ensuring the consistent and effective transfer of federal legislative powers to the Sarawak government, in accordance with Article 95C of the Constitution of the Federation.

The sharpening of this handover is also the first step before the enforcement of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) in Sarawak. This will enable the systematic waste management function to be transferred to the Sarawak government in stages, while avoiding any conflict of jurisdiction between the federal and state governments.

The government remains committed to ensuring the implementation agenda of MA63 is translated into concrete actions and decisions to strengthen the relationship between the federal and state governments and to safeguard the interests of the people of Sabah and Sarawak, Fahmi Fadzil added. The amendment to Act 127 introduces a new sub-section that allows ministers to suspend the operation of any or all provisions of the Act in different regions throughout the country.