KOTA KINABALU: The state government will not bow down from pursuing its 40% revenue entitlement, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
“Don’t worry, it is written in the Constitution. We are in constant discussion with the Federal Government on the matter,” the Sabah Chief Minister told the media at the 35th Sabah Government Excellence Scholarship Award presentation here on Tuesday (Aug 6).
He noted that the Federal Government’s RM16bil allocation – announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Kaamatan Festival three months back and reiterated at Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Himpunan Perdana on Sunday (Aug 4) – was not part of the 40% revenue entitlement demanded by the state.
“The RM16bil is the amount spent by the Federal Government in Sabah this year, and it has nothing to do with our 40% claims,” he explained.
Hajiji, in earlier reports, said the government would never give up the fundamental constitutional rights of the state in relation to the 40% nett revenue special grant under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution.
Describing it as a critical issue, he said the matter is now under the purview of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) technical committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
“We will continue to defend Sabah’s constitutional rights in relation to the existing revenue-sharing formula and this must be respected by the Federal Government,” he said, including the state’s claim for the “lost years” where there had been no review conducted since 1974.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor posed for a group photo with other dignitaries and the recipients of the 35th Sabah Government Excellence Scholarship Award after the presentation ceremony in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday (Aug 6).
In July last year, Fadhillah said the formula for the claim for Sabah’s nett revenue or special grant is expected to be achieved within a year.
Pending negotiations, the interim amount has been increased from RM125.6mil in 2022 to RM300mil in July 2023.
The negotiations also include claims backdated for the last 50 years.
On May 29, the state government took the initiative to calculate its 40% nett revenue entitlement to compensate for the delayed response from the Federal Government.
In another development, Hajiji stressed that the state government does not recognise the latest “custodial rights” claim by a southern Philippine group over Sabah.
“It is clear that Sabah is part of Malaysia and gained independence through the country. We strongly deny the claim,” he said.
Noting that the Prime Minister had assured protection for Sabah from any force that would affect the state and country’s sovereignty, he said, “We live and die with Malaysia.”
Sabahans, he said, had chosen to form Malaysia through the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“Therefore, any external claim on the state of Sabah will not be recognised by the state government or the people,” he added.
