KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal hopes the Federal Government will not appeal the High Court’s ruling affirming Sabah’s constitutional right to 40% of federal revenue derived from the state.
He said the judgment delivered on Friday (Oct 17) clearly outlines what is already provided under the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and that it should be respected in the spirit of nationhood.
“I hope they won’t appeal. What has been spelled out by the judgment is quite clear. It’s already in the Constitution — the mechanism of repayment, how the 40% should be returned to Sabah. It’s all there,” he said during a press conference at the Warisan office in Kolombong here today.
Shafie said further appeals would only raise unnecessary speculation and doubt among the people, and delay Sabah’s long-overdue rights.
“Of course, they have the constitutional right to appeal, but we hope it won’t come to that,” he said.
He recalled that during his time as chief minister, he had disagreed with the formula used by the then federal administration to calculate the RM56mil special grant given to Sabah, stressing that it was not part of the 40% entitlement.
“I told the Cabinet then that I disputed the formula used. That RM56mil was only a special grant, not the 40%. You can even extract the Cabinet minutes — it’s all there,” he said, referring to a 2019 Cabinet meeting when he was part of the MA63 implementation committee.
Shafie also pointed out that the 40% entitlement is unique to Sabah and does not apply to Sarawak, making it even more crucial for Putrajaya to honour the commitment.
He said the 40% entitlement was part of the foundation upon which Sabah agreed to form Malaysia in 1963, ensuring that the state could manage its own development and resources.
“This is not about politics or slogans — it’s about respecting what was agreed upon when Malaysia was formed,” he said.
The Sabah High Court had on Friday (Oct 17) ruled in favour of the Sabah Law Society (SLS) in its case against the Federal Government, declaring that the state’s 40% revenue entitlement under Article 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution remains valid and enforceable.
The federal government, however, still has the right to file an appeal against the decision.
