Do not hold the federal government to political ransom, says MP

A MEMBER of parliament today criticized the actions of certain parties who were allegedly trying to hold the federal government 'ransom' over Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of federal revenue collected from the state.

Pasir Gudang Member of Parliament, Hassan Abdul Karim said he was disturbed there were parties and ministers from Sabah who threatened the government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the issue.

“The political threat was, ‘If the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) appeals against the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s decision recognising Sabah’s constitutional rights regarding the payment of 40 percent of Sabah revenue, then the minister in the Federal government cabinet from Sabah will resign,’” he said in a statement on Monday.

Hassan said such threatening actions were unhealthy and were described as 'political ransom' which had never happened before.

He explained that in the 2026 Federal Budget, Sabah received the highest allocation compared to other states in the Peninsula including Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis and Kedah.

He said that the Kota Kinabalu High Court had granted permission to the applicant to file a judicial review and had made a decision, so it was appropriate for the AGC to be given the opportunity to review the grounds for the judgment.

"The course of the legal process cannot be obstructed. Give the AGC a chance to carry out its duties if we cherish the principles of the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution," he stressed.

Hassan also questioned the action of disrupting the function of the court by giving the federal government an ultimatum.

He explained that a case that starts in the High Court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal and then to the Federal Court.

“If the reasons for the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s judgment are strong in terms of facts and law, of course the Court of Appeal will uphold the decision.

The same applies if it is appealed to the Federal Court,” he explained.

Hassan added that the issue involves Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution, and only the Federal Court has the role of making the final decision on constitutional matters.

“Malaysia as a federal country will break up if the politics of intimidation is used to weaken the federal government. Let the legal process run completely in an orderly manner from the High Court to the Federal Court,” he said.

The Kota Kinabalu High Court on Friday ruled that the federal government acted illegally and exceeded its constitutional powers when it failed to honour Sabah's right to 40 per cent of the federal revenue for almost five decades. - October 20, 2025.