Sarawak governor Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has called out at what he deems to be federal encroachment into state powers, declaring that Parliament has no authority to legislate on matters outside its jurisdiction.
Wan Junaidi, a former law minister and former deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker, singled out the Environmental Quality Act 1974 as an example of unconstitutional overreach, the Dayak Daily reported.
He said that when the law was enacted in 1974, the environment was not included in the federal, state, or concurrent lists.
Under the Federal Constitution, a federal list spells out matters under Parliament’s legislative powers, while the state list details powers exclusively for state assemblies. A concurrent list specifies subjects which both federal and state authorities can legislate.
He said if the matter is not found in the lists, then…