'40pc revenue payment mechanism to be proposed to government'
Published on: Wednesday, December 20, 2023
Ewon and others at the meeting.
KOTA KINABALU: The proposed framework for the reimbursement mechanism of 40 per cent of the Federal revenue in Sabah will be submitted to the Federal and State Governments.
Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick said the proposal considers technical issues related to the availability of data on the collection of Federal revenue in Sabah since 1974 and a more practical step forward.
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"As a member of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63) and the MTPMA63 Technical Committee (JTMTPMA63), I took the initiative to hold a round table discussion with Sabah leaders who have expertise in their respective fields to discuss the mechanism framework that can be submitted to the government for the implementation of the repayment of 40 per cent of the Federal revenue in Sabah.
"I will submit the proposed mechanism framework to the government through discussions with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister II and Sabah Chief Minister before the MTPMA63 and JKMTPMA63 meetings are held early next year.
"I also suggest that a pre-council involving members of the meeting from Sabah be held earlier so that we can present the same narrative.
"After all, we want any special payment to Sabah to be based on the 40 per cent formula as in Article 112C of the Federal Constitution," he said at the round table discussion, here, Tuesday.
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Ewon, also the Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperative Minister, said the proposed framework needs to be presented and discussed between the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government in line with the government's decision to set one year from July 2023 to finalise the payment mechanism.
Also present were former Chief Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, Sabah's representative at the Inland Revenue Board, Datuk Petrus Gimbad, former Sabah Law Society Presidents Datuk Roger Chin and Datuk John Sikayun, Sabah Development Studies Institute Chief Executive Officer Prof Datuk Dr Ramzah Dambul and former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing.
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