SARAWAK regains full autonomy on environmental matters in the state, said Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.

According to Abang Johari, this was in line with the terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Speaking at the lunch launch of the Sarawak Environmental Day at the state legislative assembly building in Kuching today, the chief minister said the devolution of powers was the reason why the state could legislate a new environmental law in the current sitting of the state assembly.

On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, when moving the Natural Resources and Environment Amendment Bill, told the state assembly that environment matters were not listed in the federal, state or concurrent lists of the federal constitution.

Awang Tengah, who is also the second minister of natural resources, said as such: “Sarawak has the residual power to legislate on matters relating to the environment”.

On the amendment, Awang Tengah said it was necessary to help prepare the state’s Natural Resources Environmental Board (NREB) “under MA63 Devolution of Powers to accept additional responsibilities in managing the environment”.

The two main objectives of the amendment are to increase the penalties and powers of NREB “for better enforcement of laws and a more effective deterrent to combat non-compliance of environmental laws in the state” and to expand the law relating to open burning, particularly in commercial farming.

Abang Johari said though environmental problem in Sarawak had not reached a critical stage, the state has to be prepared for it. – November 11, 2019.