KOTA KINABALU: The increased RM300 million in special grant from the Federal Government is another clear indication that the State Government is on the right path towards getting Sabah’s entitlement as stipulated in Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said Sabah welcomed the decision of the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63) Technical Committee as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof yesterday.
“Rest assured that we will not rest until Sabah gets what is owed to her as enshrined in the MA63,” he said in a statement here today.
Hajiji Haji Noor
The Chief Minister reiterated the State Government’s stand that Sabah has never relinquished rights to the 40 per cent revenue.
“This is an interim solution and as mentioned by Fadillah, negotiations are still ongoing with a separate committee to determine and finalise the formula for the annual special grants for the two Bornean states within a year,” he said.
Sabah would continue to fight for the special grant entitlement according to Article 112C and Section 2 of Part IV in the Tenth Schedule, as well as Article 112D of the federal constitution, which provides for a formula and review of the 40 per cent net revenue entitlement that the federation derives from the state, said Hajiji.
After chairing the MA63 technical committee meeting yesterday, Fadillah said that Sabah and Sarawak would receive RM300 million in special grant from the Federal Government this year.
The RM300 million grant is a RM40 million increase for Sabah following the previous RM260 million grant Putrajaya announced for the state in January, which would be paid as soon as possible, said Fadillah, who is also Chairman of the MA63 Committee.
