SARAWAK has rejected Putrajaya’s proposal for an “integrated forestry policy” as the state has its own laws to protect its forests, said assistant minister for law, state-federal relations and project monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.

“We cannot accept it. We have our own ordinances and laws and even if we had no laws, anything about Sarawak, must go through the government of Sarawak,” she said in response to the proposal submitted by federal Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources Xavier Jayakumar to Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg in Kuching on Tuesday.

Hamidah said it had not been difficult for the chief minister to reject the proposal because Sarawak has its own rights that it would enforce.

Xavier’s courtesy call on Abang Johari saw both leaders discussing water management, land and mineral resources in Sarawak during an hour-long meeting.

He later said in a press statement that they also discussed national forestry policies.

The federal minister said his proposal was to have an integrated policy covering forests in the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.

Currently, the three regions that form the federation of Malaysia have their own forest policies and laws. The autonomy Sabah and Sarawak have over their forests is part of the agreement at the formation of the federation in 1963.

Sarawak leaders are said to be wary over further erosion of state rights, after having lost rights to education and health services in the 1970s.

Xavier previously made another proposal for a uniform land code for the whole country instead of three separate sets of land laws and codes for the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.

Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah disclosed that Xavier made the proposal for a uniform land code at a National Land Council meeting in Putrajaya last December.

Uggah said he asked the minister to withdraw the proposal. – September 19, 2019.