PM explains devolution of power to Sabah, Sarawak

The federal government is agreeable to devolution of power to Sabah and Sarawak because this is compatible with the desire of the two state governments to play a more important role that reflects the aspirations of Malaysians there, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The Prime Minister said the first stage of the devolution of power would involve administrative matters.

In this connection, Najib said the state governments would be given a bigger role in determining projects, especially priority projects.

"... and the location of projects, whereby discussions will be held between the federal and state governments in the matter," he told reporters after officially opening Terminal 1 of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here today.

Also present at the event were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai.

Najib said the evaluation of tenders for projects done at the federal level could be implemented at the state level through a committee comprising the state secretary and federal government representatives.

Interviews for the recruitment of civil service employees, such as teachers and policemen, could be held in other suitable venues besides the major cities to make it easier for people in the interior to attend them, he said.

Najib also said that too many teachers from the peninsula had been emplaced in Sabah and Sarawak and they did not remain long in the states besides the posting of inexperienced teachers to the two states.

As such, he said, the federal government targeted to have 90 percent of the teachers to be those who hailed from Sabah and Sarawak over the next three years.

"For example, the number of Sarawak-born teachers now stands at 32,168 of the 41,935. Over the next three years, the number of Sarawak-born teachers will have risen to 38,082, an increase of 5,914," he said.