KOTA KINABALU: Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick will meet Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on Tuesday (Jan 9) to propose a mechanism for the federal government to pay back 40% of revenue earned from the state.
Ewon said that the proposed mechanism was based on discussions by Upko leaders and experts in the related fields.
He said that on Dec 19, he had held roundtable discussions with various experts, including lawyers, former magistrates and those with extensive experience in accounting, taxation and auditing.
"We have agreed to propose a mechanism for the federal government to pay the state’s 40% revenue entitlement under the Constitution. I will propose it to the Chief Minister when I meet him," said Ewon, who is also the Cooperatives and Entrepreneur Development Minister.
"I am aware that this effort needs to be done on a "Government to Government" basis, that is, between the state and federal governments. That is why I will submit this proposal first so that it can be discussed at the state government level through the Cabinet meeting," he said.
Ewon told reporters this during the party's Christmas and New Year 2024 Open House celebration in Sabah's central Telupid district Saturday (Jan 6).
Ewon hoped that the state government would develop a new mechanism to submit to the federal government in the state's bid to get back 40% of the total revenue earned by the federal government from Sabah.
"The formula is already there. It's just the mechanism because it involves an outstanding claim, a claim for payment for the coming period and involves a discussion about the revenue collected directly by the revenue offices in Sabah and also the revenue that is not collected by the office revenue in Sabah (directly through the revenue office in the Peninsula)," he said.
