Anifah: Government committee to study Sabah's 40% revenue entitlement claim

KOTA KINABALU: A special committee to be set up soon by the Federal Government will study Sabah's claim to 40% of all revenue collected from the state, said Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.

"Whatever rightly has to come to Sabah will be fulfilled," said Anifah.

The Foreign Minister said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had agreed to the setting-up of the committee after hearing views about Sabah's rights.

"These are Constitutional guarantees on financial allocations to the state," Anifah told reporters after attending the Hari Raya open house of Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman and state ministers at the Likas Sports Complex here.

Anifah, led a group of five, including Sabah State Reform Party (STAR) chairman Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, to meet Najib last week in Putrajaya.

He said the Najib was "very receptive" to the issues highlighted, and Anifah expected the special committee to be formed soon after Hari Raya.

The committee, he said, would comprise Constitution Law experts as well as historians with knowledge of the background to Sabah joining Malaysia in 1963.

He said the matter was non-political as it had been discussed at length during various forums with the people.

"It is merely about fulfilling state rights," he said, adding that the committee would study Sabah's rights to higher oil royalty as well as a return of 40% of the nett revenue obtained from the state.

Najib's green light to set up the committee was well-received by state leaders across the political spectrum, many of whom feel a review is long overdue.

Parti Bersatu Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the decision was a positive action by the Federal Government.