KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government fully respects the recent High Court decision confirming Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the government is not against fulfilling Sabah’s constitutional rights.
“We did not abandon the 40%. The appeal in court is about legal interpretation, not Sabah’s entitlement,” he said during the Temu Anwar – Harapan Urang Muda Sabah youth dialogue here yesterday.
Anwar said some opposition leaders appear to have been fanning public sentiment based on wrong or incomplete information, which he warned could mislead the people.
“You can campaign all you want. But don’t mislead the people.
“People must understand what really happened. Do not let those who play politics mislead the public,” he said.
Anwar said it is important for young Sabahans to understand the facts.
“You deserve clarity, not confusion,” he said.
Anwar said the Finance Ministry, along with federal agencies, will hold a meeting tomorrow to finalise a fresh recalculation and discuss other technical matters.
“The Treasury will issue a new calculation and discuss the technical issues on Monday,” he said.
Anwar also reiterated the government’s commitment to Sabah’s development, noting that the state continues to receive substantial allocations for infrastructure, school upgrades, water supply and electricity.
While regulatory control over electricity has been returned to Sabah, Putrajaya continues to provide significant development funding, he said.
“Even after returning to the regulatory authority, we are still giving RM120mil in development support.
“Because if Sabah remains poor, our people remain poor,” he said.
Turning to the youth, Anwar encouraged them to remain engaged, responsible and informed.
“You are the ones who will shape this country. Engage with facts, not rumours, and help strengthen our future,” he said.
On Oct 17, the Kota Kinabalu High Court had ruled that the Federal Government had failed to fulfil Sabah’s entitlement to 40% of federal revenue for the years 1974 to 2021.
It ordered the two governments to conduct a revenue review within 90 days.
The Federal Government has filed a “partial appeal” against the ground of the court’s judgment.
