Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim assures Sabah that the government will honour the 40% revenue entitlement and will not appeal the High Court decision
KENINGAU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has firmly stated that the government is not engaging in political deception regarding Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement.
Speaking at the ‘PM Sayang Sabah’ meet-and-greet programme, Anwar reiterated the federal government’s commitment to resolving the matter transparently.
He confirmed the government will not appeal the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s decision on Sabah’s entitlement to the special grant.
“The Attorney General has also clarified that there will be no appeal on the 40% issue,” Anwar told community leaders at Padang Kampung Menawo Ulu.
The Prime Minister accused opposition parties of politicising the issue for election campaigning purposes.
“They claim the government is appealing, implying it is wrong,” he said during his speech in the Tulid state constituency.
Anwar noted that some opposition figures who previously served in government understand the legal technicalities involved.
“Elections are not the place for deception,” he emphasised, addressing attempts to use the issue in the Sabah State Election campaign.
The Prime Minister had previously stated in Parliament that the government would not file an appeal regarding Sabah’s 40% revenue share.
He assured that the government remains committed to honouring Sabah’s constitutional rights and revenue entitlements.
Anwar has confirmed that serious negotiations on Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement claim are now underway under his administration.
He stressed that previous governments had never engaged in substantial discussions on the matter despite frequent political rhetoric.
“Previously they only talked. There were no negotiations. Nothing serious. Now we have taken over and we are doing it seriously,” Anwar stated during a campaign event in the Keningau parliamentary constituency.
The Prime Minister urged Sabah voters to select candidates capable of driving continuous development and consistently championing state rights in the upcoming by-elections.
He specifically endorsed Pakatan Harapan candidate Datin Rufinah Pengeran for the Tulid seat and Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup for Sook.
Anwar emphasized the importance of strong state-federal cooperation for effective development outcomes across Sabah.
“Why is cooperation necessary? If we want to develop the state, cooperation between the state and federal governments must be strong,” he explained.
He criticized political campaigns that promote division between communities or state-federal relations for personal gain.
The Tulid seat features a 14-cornered contest with 16,551 registered voters, while Sook has 20,349 voters facing a five-candidate race.
Both constituencies are located approximately 170 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu within the Keningau parliamentary area.
Polling for the Sabah state election covering 73 seats is scheduled for November 29, with early voting on November 25.
The Election Commission has registered 1,784,843 eligible voters comprising regular electors, military personnel and police personnel with their spouses. – Bernama
