PRESS STATEMENT: SABAH’S 40% REVENUE ENTITLEMENT ISSUE – STATE GOVERNMENT CANNOT CONTINUE HIDING BEHIND ENDLESS NEGOTIATIONS
SANDAKAN: Elopura Assemblyman, YB Calvin Chong, has criticised statements by government leaders which continue to mislead the public regarding Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement claim, while the most fundamental question remains unanswered — why motions related to the claim are not allowed to be openly debated in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
According to him, the people of Sabah have the right to know the State Government’s official position on the matter instead of merely being presented with interim figures resulting from negotiations that do not reflect Sabah’s actual constitutional entitlement as provided under the Federal Constitution.
He said the government cannot continue using negotiations as an excuse when the issue has dragged on for decades, because Sabah is not asking for charity but demanding rights that are already enshrined in the Constitution.
He also stressed that the interim payment announced previously should not be regarded as a final solution to Sabah’s 40% entitlement claim.
According to him, interim grants and the 40% entitlement are two different matters because interim payments are merely temporary amounts derived from political negotiations, whereas the 40% claim is a constitutional right based on the actual revenue collected by the Federal Government from Sabah.
Calvin also questioned why the State Government still refuses to disclose complete data on the actual revenue obtained by the Federal Government from Sabah in order to allow the claim to be calculated transparently and accurately.
He said if the government is truly serious about defending Sabah’s rights, then the real figures must be presented to the public because without transparency in the data, the people will find it difficult to believe that Sabah is receiving the amount it rightfully deserves.
Meanwhile, he said the rejection of motions related to the 40% claim in the DUN only creates the perception that the government is attempting to avoid open debate and unwilling to have its official position recorded in the Hansard.
He said the DUN should serve as the highest platform to discuss the rights of Sabahans instead of closing the space for debate on issues involving the state’s constitutional rights.
He added that the 40% entitlement issue should not be turned into political material for blaming previous administrations because until today, the people have yet to see a truly concrete solution.
According to him, governments have changed several times, yet the people continue hearing the same excuses, while what is needed now is action, a clear timeline, and firm political commitment to defend Sabah’s rights.
He also reminded that failure to resolve the issue would continue to significantly affect Sabah’s development, including infrastructure, water supply, electricity, education, and healthcare, all of which require sufficient financial resources.
He said if Sabah’s rights are fully restored, the state would have far greater capacity to resolve many of the fundamental problems that have long burdened the people.
In this regard, Calvin urged the State Government to be more transparent and courageous in presenting a clear position to ensure Sabah’s rights are no longer delayed without resolution.
He stressed that the people of Sabah today are increasingly mature and capable of judging who is genuinely fighting to defend the state’s rights and who is merely engaging in political rhetoric.
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