Sabah govt urged to register state’s claim over 40% tax revenue payment

KOTA KINABALU: According to a state Opposition leader, Sabah should officially request the 40% tax revenue owed by the Federal Government to the state through its state legislative assembly. Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) president Datuk Henrynus Amin supported the call made by Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick for Sabah to make an official demand for the payment.

Henrynus Amin stated that the claim on the tax revenue payment should not be made directly by the Sabah Cabinet, as it would likely be indecisive and hampered by “vested interest”. He suggested that the state’s demand should be done through a binding resolution in the Sabah state assembly.

He further emphasized that the state assembly is the most appropriate place for elected political leaders to articulate, debate and decide on issues affecting the state constitutional rights under the Federal Constitution. Anak Negeri reiterated its call for the Sabah government to introduce and pass a binding resolution in the state assembly to endorse the state’s demand for the return of the 40% federal revenue accrued in Sabah.

Ewon Benedick, the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, had urged Sabah to formally register its claim with Putrajaya over the payment of the 40% tax revenue owed to the state. He noted that Sabah had never officially submitted a request to demand the Federal Government settle the tax payment it was entitled to under the Federal Constitution.

He highlighted that despite expressions of concern by Sabah leaders in Parliament, the state assembly, or the media, this was insufficient. According to Benedick, an official letter of demand or claim by the Sabah government must be submitted in order to bring the 40% revenue tax payment to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) technical committee.