KOTA KINABALU: Sri Tanjong assemblyman Justin Wong today issued a firm statement urging the Federal Government to stop using technical excuses such as “finalising the formula” and “data verification” to continue delaying its constitutional obligation to pay Sabah its 40 per cent share of net revenue as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.
He said the reasons repeatedly given by the government are no longer convincing and are clearly seen as attempts to dilute and evade this constitutional responsibility.
“The 40 per cent share of Sabah’s net revenue is a right enshrined in the Federal Constitution. It is non-negotiable and does not come with any additional conditions. We should not be confused by complicated technical terms. The issue is not whether the formula is ready or not, but whether Putrajaya is willing to face the actual data,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government’s reluctance to fully disclose the figures is because the real data would reveal the amount that has allegedly not been fully paid to Sabah over many years.
Commenting on the current deadlock, Justin Wong also raised three key questions to the Federal Government regarding the true definition of “net revenue derived from Sabah.”
“Among the questions are whether oil and gas revenues have been excluded from the calculation. In addition, what types of expenditures have been deducted by the Federal Government before determining Sabah’s 40 per cent share? Finally, how is the final payment figure calculated?” he said.
He criticised that without full public disclosure of the data, any amount announced by the Federal Government would merely be a “political figure” aimed at easing public dissatisfaction rather than a legitimate constitutional payment of arrears.
Justin Wong also reminded the people of Sabah not to be swayed by “interim payments” or additional allocations offered by the Federal Government, as such measures, he said, only serve as a smokescreen to cover actions that contradict the constitution.
“This is guaranteed under the Federal Constitution. It is not a special favour or donation from any party,” he stressed.
He further urged the Federal Government to demonstrate genuine sincerity by immediately disclosing the full calculation formula, ending non-transparent practices, and ensuring transparency throughout the entire process.
“The government must also publish a detailed breakdown listing all taxes collected from Sabah. At the same time, payments must be made immediately in accordance with constitutional obligations without any further administrative delays,” he said.
He added that the people of Sabah are closely monitoring developments on this issue, and any continued delay will only reinforce the public perception that the Federal Government has no real intention of resolving the matter.
“This is not a technical issue, but a matter of political integrity. Stop giving excuses and return Sabah’s rights to Sabah,” he said.
