Premier: Decentralisation of power vital in keeping good ties between S’wak, Putrajaya

KUCHING (July 22): The decentralisation of power from the federal government to the Sarawak government is vital in ensuring a good relationship between the two, opined Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said the federation and its administration currently has two blocs — one centralist and another not centralist.

“The centralists are dangerous because you don’t take your surroundings into account — you centralise everything. That is dangerous in any federation.

“But if you have (state) empowerment according to what is in the Constitution, then it should be okay. Which is why I think now, there must be the process of decentralisation on certain parts of the economy and administration,” he said during the ‘Keluar Sekejap’ podcast, which is co-hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan, on Youtube today.

Abang Johari said in Sarawak, the state government has started its decentralisation of power with the setting up of nine development agencies throughout the state.

He added each agency is given RM1.5 billion so they can decide and conduct development projects in their respective areas, as he believed the people with local experience are more qualified to make such decisions.

“Yes, it’s bottom up. Let’s say the people want a road project. The agency involved will know, so we give money to the agency involved and they will decide and handle the tender.

“We have a total of nine development agencies, each given RM1.5 billion so it is up to them. That’s why we say, you decentralise, you empower them. They know what they need. But of course, within the roadmap framework determined by the state. It’s just the matter of the missing gap, so let them solve it,” he said.

When asked by Khairy as to what the proper nomenclature for Sarawak and Sabah is now, Abang Johari said this was up to interpretation.

He said many people would call the Borneo states as ‘regions’.

“Many people say region, and we are guided by the Malaysian organisation between (then) Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah. So the definition is based on three components in a country called Malaysia.

“Some people may not be happy about this but this goes back to interpretation. As long as our original intentions are good; that is, Malaysia msut be safe and its economy strong. If Sarawak is strong, Malaysia is strong. Just like Bavaria — when it is strong, Germany is strong.

“This (relationship between Sarawak, Sabah and federal) cannot be compared to what happened in the United Kingdom but this can be compared to what happened to Bavaria,” he said.