KOTA KINABALU – Sabah opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal today lamented the work undertaken by the state and federal governments in realising its state rights, questioning whether it was in accordance with the terms in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
On Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz’s parliamentary response that the 40% revenue sharing formula is not yet applicable, the Warisan president said that all efforts to amend the constitution to include the MA63 have become futile.
“It is as if the amendment is not so important. The MA63 was already signed. It is now amended into the federal constitution, but are we getting what we had signed for?
“Not just the finances, but also if it is a fair parliamentary seat distribution,” he said referring to the constitutional amendment that gives greater recognition to the MA63.
Shafie was met by reporters at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport today.
The Warisan president cum Senallang assemblyman said he will raise this during his speech in the Sabah assembly sitting next week.
Several Warisan MPs have raised concerns over a new formula being used to resolve the 40% revenue sharing formula after Zafrul said the formula was not yet applicable due to a couple of reasons.
He said it was not applicable, as the revision had been held and agreed under Article 112D of the federal constitution between 1969 and 1973 on the rate of the special grant, which is still in force until now.
Zafrul noted the reasons include disagreement between the legal stands of the federal and state attorney-generals on the revenue sharing formula between 1969 and 1973 and that the quantum would put the federal government into a financial burden.
However, Zafrul said the special grant for Sabah this year would be higher.
He also noted that the matter is still being decided by the federal-state committee.
Sepanggar MP Datuk Azis Jamman has questioned a confusion about the special grant, citing the new quantum is now five times higher, as pointed out by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs Minister) Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili.
The annual grant Sabah has been receiving was RM26.7 million.
“We are again being robbed of our rights… and it will be a surprise if Sabah’s leaders would be agreeable to this.
“As for a fixed payment, well, it can be agreeable to the majority of the Sabah assembly,” said Azis.
He said matters should be tabled in the state assembly and again tabled in Parliament as the 40% special grant is now part and parcel of the federal constitution. – The Vibes, March 15, 2022
