SEPANGGAR: Sepanggar Wirawati Warisan Chief, Affandi Arif, said the people of Sabah have heard for far too long the excuse that the issue of Sabah’s 40% net revenue entitlement from the Federal Government is “still under negotiation” without seeing any clear resolution to this day.
According to him, after many years have passed, the people of Sabah are still questioning how much longer the state must continue waiting for a right that is clearly provided for under the Federal Constitution to be fully resolved.
He said the state government can no longer continue hiding behind general statements without having the courage to demand transparent explanations directly from the Prime Minister himself.
He added that the people want to know the actual amount acknowledged by the Federal Government, when the payment formula will be finalised, and when the 40% entitlement will be fully paid to Sabah.
Affandi further stated that the state government should also stop selling the narrative of having a “good relationship with Putrajaya” if Sabah is still left waiting without a clear timeline, without any deadline, and without any written guarantee from the Prime Minister.
According to him, Sabah’s 40% entitlement is not political charity but a constitutional right of the state that must be defended without compromise.
Affandi also questioned why the current state government is only focusing on payments for the current year while Sabah’s entitlement for the period between 2022 and 2024 also remains unresolved.
He said such actions raise questions as to whether the state government is afraid to demand the arrears that rightfully belong to the people of Sabah from the very beginning.
According to him, if the government is truly serious about defending the state’s rights, then all claims must be pursued fully rather than only halfway merely to avoid upsetting Putrajaya.
In the same statement, Affandi also touched on the participation of several government assemblymen in the Sabah 40% entitlement rally held on 10 April 2026.
According to him, the presence of Datuk Madius Tangau and Datuk Roger Chin at the gathering showed that the issue is no longer merely an opposition complaint but is also being questioned by representatives within the government itself.
He also raised questions regarding the role of Datuk Roger Chin as a Nominated Assemblyman who was specifically entrusted with responsibilities related to the Sabah 40% issue.
He said that if the GRS government was truly on the right track regarding the matter, why would their own elected representatives need to take to the streets alongside the people.
Affandi added that Datuk Roger Chin’s Facebook post on 27 April 2026 expressing dissatisfaction over the development of the Sabah 40% issue was a clear indication that the state government had failed to provide confidence to the people.
Affandi said the people of Sabah no longer want to hear excuses or flowery statements, but instead want results, firmness, and clear action from the state government.
He stressed that the time has come for the state government to openly declare whether it truly has the courage to fully defend Sabah’s rights or whether it will continue choosing silence in order to preserve political relations with Putrajaya.
