KOTA KINABALU: The formation of the state’s unity Cabinet that includes national parties will not compromise Sabah’s negotiations for the recovery of the 40% revenue return that was lost between 1974-2021, says Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
He said the new political alignments, which include Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, would not change or weaken Sabah’s position on the issue.
“The question of national-party influence does not arise,” Masidi, who is State Finance Minister, told reporters at his office here Wednesday (Dec 3) following the formation of the new state government.
He said the Oct 17 Kota Kinabalu High Court decision had given the state and federal governments 90 days to resolve it.
“Whether we like it or not, we must reach a conclusion within that period. This is now one of our top priorities,” said Masidi, who noted that the figure calculated could not be revealed as it was subject to discussions.
Regarding the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) assemblyman's dissatisfaction with the inclusion of Barisan and Pakatan in the government, he stated that the issue has been resolved and that such dissatisfaction was normal after an election.
“The bigger picture is political stability. Without it, we cannot govern or deliver,” he added.
Masidi said that Warisan would play a constructive role as a strong opposition, scrutinising the state government’s performance.
“We do not treat them (Warisan) as enemies. For us, whether you are on our side or that side, all of us are working on the same thing, to make Sabah a better place for everyone,” he added.
