KOTA KINABALU – The federal government will no longer be able to give the excuse of insufficient funds in honouring the 40% return of revenue to Sabah if Pakatan Harapan (PH) wins the 15th general election.
Upko president and incumbent Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said Pakatan Harapan promised that Sabah will get what was stipulated under Article 112C of the federal constitution (special grant), which is 40% of the tax collected from the state.
He added that Sabah will only give 60% of the state’s tax revenue to the federal government and will keep the rest for itself.
“For example, RM1 billion road tax was collected from Sabah last year. Instead of asking for RM400 million (40%) to be returned, we keep the RM400 million in Sabah and only give Putrajaya RM600 million.
“This has been included in the PH manifesto expected to be launched on November 2 in Kuala Lumpur.”
He said this during the PH Kita Boleh tour in Tuaran here yesterday where PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was also present.
Tangau added that PH MPs and assemblymen in Sabah have been championing for state rights more fervently than any other coalition.
“PH reps were the ones who filed a summons to seek a court declaration on the state’s special grants, naming the federal and state governments as defendants.”
He said the move came after then finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz’s answer in Parliament early this year and who said that Article 112C no longer applies, infuriating Sabahans. – The Vibes, November 1, 2022
