KUCHING: Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew has called for the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG) to be returned to the Sarawak government, citing inadequate federal funding and constitutional jurisdiction.
The call followed a parliamentary reply by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability to Lau’s Dewan Negara question on the development allocations approved for JMG Sarawak under the Tenth to Thirteenth Malaysia Plans.
The ministry said JMG Sarawak received RM2.01 million under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (RMK10), RM15.74 million under the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (RMK11), RM6.17 million under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK12), and RM232,750 under the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan (RMK13) Rolling Plan 1.
Lau described the allocations as “minuscule”, saying Sarawak should receive the largest share of JMG’s budget as it accounts for more than one third of the country’s land mass.
“Sarawak should get the biggest chunk of the budget considering Sarawak makes up more than one third of the country’s land mass,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday (Jul 30).
Lau had asked the ministry to disclose the development allocations approved for JMG Sarawak under the Tenth to Thirteenth Malaysia Plans, as well as the projects implemented under each plan.
In its reply, the ministry said the allocations funded geological mapping, mineral and rare earth element (REE) assessments, groundwater resource studies, geohazard mapping, geopark development, laboratory and office upgrades, as well as initiatives promoting sustainable mining practices.
Lau also argued that JMG’s responsibilities concern land, which falls under the State List of the Federal Constitution rather than the Federal List.
He said the department should come under the Sarawak government, adding: “Return this department to Sarawak.”
