A royal commission of inquiry (RCI) has yet to be formed, four months after the Cabinet agreed to set up an investigation into the book.

“The matter is being refined by the Prime Minister’s Department’s legal affairs division, and (a report) will be submitted to the Cabinet thereafter,” said law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said in a written reply to Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut) who had asked about the status of the RCI.

The Cabinet had agreed in January to set up the panel to investigate complaints about the Thomas memoirs published in January 2021.

Numerous police reports were filed, and the book drew criticism from lawyers, politicians, the general public, and current attorney-general Idrus Harun.

Among the controversial claims in the book was that he had discussions with then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the appointments of the chief justice, the president of the Court of Appeal, and the chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak.

PM used official jet 16 times since December

Special functions minister Armizan Ali said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim used the government’s official jets on 16 occasions since his appointment in November.

Nine overseas trips were on the government’s Airbus jet while 17 domestic trips were on the Bombadier Global Express and Dassault Falcon business aircraft. The jets are operated by the air force VIP flight.

Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN-Alor Setar) had asked about the total costs for the use of these jets. However, Armizan said the costs were “within the suitable estimates for the services and management of the respective jets”.

He said, this year, Cabinet members made a total of 64 overseas trips costing some RM18.6 million.

MA63 developments

Armizan gave an update on negotiations on matters under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 brought up by leaders of Sabah and Sarawak.

Matters still outstanding included:

• Oil and gas royalties and cash payment for petroleum
• The Territorial Sea Act and states’ rights to the continental shelf and control of oil and gas fields;
• Sabah’s demand for its share of tax revenue collected in the state;
• Putrajaya’s financial obligations to Sabah and Sarawak;
• Stamp duties on land transactions;
• Additional civil service posts in both states and the “Borneanisation” of the federal civil service in both states;
• The administration of the judiciary in the two states;
•  The development of the Sabah-Sarawak-Kalimantan borders.

Among new issues that have arisen are:

• Calls for Sabah and Sarawak to have a greater share of Dewan Rakyat seats;
• Amending the Federal Constitution over the distribution of legislative powers;
• Removing federal control over tourism to place it under both federal and state powers;
• Autonomy over health and education.

417,300 households in eKasih system

Almost 417,300 heads of households are registered in the eKasih database of poor families in the country. Armizan said 299,080 of these households were considered poor and 118,217 were hardcore poor. He said 206,328 were located in rural areas and 211,059 were in cities.