Ministry of Economy: No discussions on decentralising power to Sabah and Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR: There are currently no proposals or discussions regarding the decentralisation of power to state governments, particularly for Sabah and Sarawak, in the context of trade and economic diplomacy, said the Ministry of Economy.

In a written response to the Dewan Negara today, the ministry stated that the Federal Constitution (Ninth Schedule) allocates the responsibility for relations with international organisations, where participation in international bodies and the implementation of decisions made within those bodies fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

“Under the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), the Chief Ministers, Governors, and Head of Local Government Forum (CMGLF) platform has been established to provide opportunities for the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak to express their views and suggestions related to Sabah and Sarawak,“ it said.

The Ministry of Economy made this statement in response to Senator Datuk Bobbey Suan’s query about whether the ministry would consider decentralising power to state governments, particularly for Sabah and Sarawak, in the context of trade and economic diplomacy.

Such consideration takes into account the significant geographical positions of both states within the BIMP-EAGA sub-region.

The BIMP-EAGA is a sub-regional cooperation platform established in 1994, covering the entire Brunei Darussalam, four provinces in Indonesia (Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Maluku, and Irian Jaya), two states in Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan), and two regions in the Philippines (Mindanao and Palawan).