TONGOD: Sabah will still need the Federal Government’s cooperation and assistance even if the state eventually receives more than RM10bil annually through its 40% revenue entitlement, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Chief Minister said Sabah should continue safeguarding its relationship with Putrajaya while pursuing its rights, warning that damaging ties with the Federal Government would ultimately hurt the state’s development efforts.
“Do not let our efforts to claim our rights as a state damage our relationship with the Federal Government or its leaders.
“Even if, in the future, Sabah receives more than RM10bil every year through the 40% payment, we would still need the cooperation of the Federal Government for Sabah to continue progressing as a developed state within Malaysia,” he said when officiating the Tongod district-level Kaamatan celebration on Wednesday (May 20).
Hajiji also stressed that Sabah still depended on Federal support to accelerate development, especially in rural and interior areas.
“Let us not quarrel with the Federal Government. We would only lose out because we still need the Federal Government’s assistance to develop Sabah,” he added.
Hajiji said the close relationship between the state and Federal governments over the past five years had enabled Sabah to secure greater administrative powers and development responsibilities.
Among them, he said, was the transfer of authority over rural piped water supply projects to the Sabah government, involving allocations exceeding RM4bil.
He said the transfer was made through the Rural and Regional Development Ministry in April this year.
The Chief Minister added that the state government remained focused on developing rural districts through the Sabah Maju Jaya development plan, including improving road connectivity linking Tongod with Keningau, Telupid, Sandakan and Tawau.
