KUCHING, Sept 15 — United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak statement today that negotiations on the devolution of power from certain federal departments to the Sarawak and Sabah state governments has been conducted smoothly.
Its Acting President Datuk Madius Tangau said the statement was a reassurance by the Prime Minister that Sabah and Sarawak will have greater decision-making powers.
He said the reassurance was in line with Upko’s 10-point memorandum submitted after the Barisan Nasional (BN) meeting yesterday, that emphasized on greater and effective autonomy for Sabah.
“To Upko, autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak are simply the effective implementation of the Malaysian Agreement signed in 1963. We believe that there are some points in the agreement which have not been effectively implemented and enforced,” he said in a statement to Bernama here today.
Earlier today, speaking at the opening of the Teluk Melano-Sematan alignment of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sematan some 100km from Kuching, Najib said the concept enabled decisions associated with the interest of the states to be adopted without reference to Putrajaya.
Madius who is also Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation was also at the ceremony. — Bernama
