SANDAKAN – Sabah Umno chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has mooted the appointment of independent appraisers to help Sabah claim its 40% special grant from the federal government.
Bung highlighted the delay in receiving the full grant and emphasised that his proposal was aligned with the Federal Constitution, asserting Sabah’s legal right to engage independent appraisers for a swifter resolution.
“Both parties (the federal and state governments) can appoint their appraisers. I think this will open an opportunity for us to speed up the claim. The appraisers would analyse how much the Sabah government was supposed to get from the federal government annually.
“This means that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 issues can finally be solved after 61 years,” he said during the Sabah Umno Tour-Gerak17 event in Batu Sapi today.
The Sabah special grant, constituting 40% of the revenue collected by the federal government from the state, is mandated under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution.
Bung underscored the significance of this allocation for Sabah’s development, currently set at RM300 million through an interim agreement, particularly in critical areas such as road infrastructure, water and electricity supply.
In his address during the Dewan Rakyat debate on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address, Bung expressed concern over Sabah consistently being labelled the poorest state in Malaysia since 1964.
Despite being a major contributor to the nation’s economy through petroleum, gas and commodities like palm oil, Sabah’s development remains imbalanced compared to the peninsula.
“It is heartbreaking that the development between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah is imbalanced when Sabah is also contributing to this development.
“If Sabah could get this 40% revenue returned, then Sabah will have the funds to plan and execute various development projects, especially infrastructure such as road, water and electricity supply that are quite critical in Sabah at the moment,” he said.
Regarding the Umno tour programme, Bung highlighted its intention to cover nearly all state seats in Sabah, starting with those predominantly inhabited by Bumiputera voters.
Despite previous losses in certain areas, he expressed confidence in the enduring support for Umno on the ground and emphasised efforts to fortify the party’s machinery in preparation for the coming Sabah state election. – March 8, 2024