Joniston Bangkuai
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) urged Putrajaya to be clear and consistent that the implementation of the 40 per cent entitlement remains firmly on track and will not be affected by this latest development.
Its Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the announcement that the Federal Government is not appealing Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement is an important development, but the fact that parts of the ruling are still being challenged naturally raises concern among Sabahans.
“What Sabahans want now is confidence that this move will not derail or complicate the fulfilment of Sabah’s rights in any way.
“For decades, Sabah has waited for this entitlement to be honoured. So any step that appears to reopen the issue, even partially, risks sending the wrong message and heightening public frustration.
“This will be a test of the good working relationship between the Central and Sabah Governments in delivering on the people’s expectation for the swift implementation of the 40 per cent entitlement,” he said in a statement today.
Joniston said the 40 per cent entitlement is a key component in strengthening Sabah’s development path and ensuring that long-standing gaps, especially in rural areas, can finally be addressed.
