DEPUTY Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said the federal government has agreed to return 55 lots of land that were acquired from the Sabah and Sarawak governments in accordance with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). 

He said it consisted of 52 lots of land originally owned by Sarawak and three owned by Sabah. 

“Many land lots in Sabah and Sarawak were acquired by the federal government but were not developed and with the return of the land, the two states will at least be able to develop the land areas. 

“These land lots are no longer used by the federal government. For safety, health (reasons) and so on, they need to be handed back to the state governments (Sabah and Sarawak),” he told a press conference after chairing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Technical Committee meeting today. 

He added that the two state governments would reimburse the federal government the sum that was paid when it took over the land. 

Fadillah, who is also Minister of Plantation and Commodities, said so far, Sarawak had wanted a total of 219 lots of land to be returned, while Sabah had wanted five. 

Without revealing the total area of the land lots, Fadillah said they had been identified as undeveloped for five years. 

Another matter that was agreed on at the meeting was the proposal to change the status of Bintulu port from federal to state by the Sarawak government, he added. 

He said the matter would be discussed at the joint committee level, which would be chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Mohd Ali, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, and Sarawak Deputy Premier Amar Douglas Uggah Embas. 

Bintulu port is now the only port in Sarawak that is still placed under the responsibility and supervision of the federal government. 

He said the results of the joint committee’s discussion would be brought to the MA63 Technical Committee before being presented at the cabinet meeting.  

Fadillah said the meeting also discussed autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak in relation to health and education. 

He said the meeting had agreed that a special committee should be formed for Sabah and Sarawak comprising representatives from the federal government, particularly from the Health Ministry and Education Ministry. 

“The matter will be detailed by Armizan in terms of legislation, administration, and finance,” he added. – Bernama, July 18, 2023.