PAKATAN Harapan can fulfil its general election promise to grant Sarawak autonomy over education and health by transferring such powers to the state as provided for under the federal constitution, said state education minister Michael Manyin.

“Just make the order under Article 95B(1)(b) to transfer the executive powers to the state and provide the state with adequate funds to carry out the executive functions of education and health,” Manyin told the house.

“There are already constitutional provisions in place for the PH government to implement this promise.

“It should not be affected by the legacy issues of the previous government,” he said, alluding to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s statement in September that some decisions by the previous government are preventing the implementation of PH manifesto promises.

At the time, Lim spoke about Sabah and Sarawak’s request for higher oil royalty returns, from the current 5% to 20%.

Sarawak also wants the return of 50% of federal revenue collected from the state to fund its development.

Manyin told the assembly that under another constitutional provision, Article 80(6), Putrajaya could also issue an order to release funding for the state to discharge executive functions over education and health.

If the state and federal governments could not reach an agreement on funding, a tribunal appointed by the Chief Justice of Malaysia could be set up to determine the amount, he suggested.

“Today, more than 18 months after PH came into power, nearly all these promises were not kept.

“They blame the previous government for not being able to fulfil their promises.

“Blaming its predecessor for its failure to honour electoral promises is a manifestation that the PH government is unable to govern because the people expect a capable government should be able to resolve whatever legacy problems that they may have inherited and deliver the New Malaysia,” he said. – November 12, 2019.