KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan is urging the Federal Government to respect and implement Sabah’s 40% revenue rights, amid its move to seek a stay order on the Oct 17 High Court ruling last year regarding the timelines set for resolving the issue.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said there should be no further delays in implementing the High Court’s order, which requires both the federal and state governments to conduct a fresh review of the amount owed within 90 days and reach an agreement within 180 days.
He added that the state government should also clarify its position and the steps it is taking following the Federal Government’s application to stay the enforcement of the court order.
“The Constitution is clear – the Federal Government must repay the state’s lost revenue,” he told reporters after a breaking fast event at Kampung Warisan on Friday (March 6).
The former chief minister emphasised that the Federal Constitution is the highest law of the land, and any court decision made based on the Constitution should not be postponed in its implementation.
“For example, if someone is found guilty of a crime such as theft, murder, or drug-related offences, the sentence handed down cannot be delayed.
“Perhaps in this case it involves finances and the government needs to scrutinise the matter, but this should not be confused with ordinary federal allocations,” he said, adding that the state’s revenue rights should not be conflated with federal allocations for the state.
Shafie stressed that facilities such as hospitals, police stations, and security provided by the Federal Government cannot be considered part of the 40% payment to Sabah.
“Hospitals, police stations, security, and the military are the responsibility of the Federal Government. Other states like Perlis, Terengganu, and others also receive the same. That is not the 40%.
“That is why it is important to distinguish between federal responsibilities and Sabah’s rights enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.
On March 3, the Federal Government filed an application to stay the Kota Kinabalu High Court order requiring the federal and state governments to review the amount within the timeline the court set.
