<figure id="attachment_3259141" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3259141" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3259141" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/a36bd972-pelancong-gunung-kinabalu-bernama-160126.webp" alt="pelancong gunung kinabalu" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3259141" class="wp-caption-text">Sabah Attorney-General Brenndon Keith Soh said returning tourism to state supervision, as originally envisaged at the formation of Malaysia, is vital.  (Bernama pic)</figcaption></figure>
PETALING JAYA: Sabah is set to reclaim regulatory authority over tourism as part of ongoing efforts to restore its rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Sabah Attorney-General Brenndon Keith Soh said 2026 will bring further progress on MA63, including engagement with the Attorney-General&#8217;s Chambers to return tourism regulation to the state.
Tourism was originally a residual legislative power under Article 77 of the Federal Constitution before being placed under the Federal List in 1994.
“Returning tourism to state supervision, as originally envisaged at the formation of Malaysia, is vital,” Soh said at the Opening of Legal Year 2026 in Kota Kinabalu today, reported New Straits Times.
“It will enable Sabah to design and implement policies that reflect our community-based geography and maximise economic opportunities for local communities.”
Beyond tourism, Soh highlighted other anticipated legislative milestones, including the activation of Article 95C of the Federal Constitution, which would grant Sabah the authority to regulate scheduled waste.
This will allow amendments to the state&#8217;s Environmental Protection Enactment, giving Sabah greater control over hazardous materials management.
Soh also addressed the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the legal sector, noting its transformative role in contract analysis, due diligence, legal research, and strategic decision-making.
He said AI could also help make legal services more accessible and affordable, bridging gaps for unrepresented individuals.
He said that while technology would transform legal work, constitutional responsibility, professional judgment and respect for the rule of law remain irreplaceable.
“There are things AI cannot do &#8211; exercise human judgment, navigate local sensitivities, or represent clients ethically and compassionately with both reason and experience. Trial advocacy skills also cannot be replicated.
&#8220;So, for now, I am personally relieved that we will all continue to be employed, but we must not ignore an AI-powered future,” he said.

MatchPoint Times

Sabah eyes tourism autonomy under MA63 reforms

Tourism was originally a residual legislative power under Article 77 of the Federal Constitution before being placed under the Federal List in 1994.

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