PM announces measures to empower Sabah and Sarawak

(The Star) – A series of measures will be introduced to empower Sabah and Sarawak.

Among the measures announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak are that 90% of teaching posts in both states are to be filled by locals within three years.

Najib said this meant that the number of Sarawakian teachers in that state would increase from the present 32,168 to 38,082 within that period.

“We will have a similar increase of teachers in Sabah as well,” said Najib, who together with his Deputy Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, joined thousands of Sabahans at Padang Merdeka on Wednesday to celebrate Malaysia Day.

Similarly, the recruitment for Federal jobs such as policemen would be carried out in outlying districts of both states to encourage youths from rural areas to apply.

He added that the approvals for tenders involving Federal projects would be done locally by a committee comprising the respective state secretaries and other civil servants.

“A joint committee comprising Federal as well as Sabah and Sarawak officers will be set up to evaluate the administrative aspects of this empowerment so that it will be carried out in an orderly manner and to avoid duplication,” Najib said.