Kota Kinabalu: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) called on Sabahans to stay united in seeking the return of 40 per cent tax revenue derived from the State.
Its Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam said as pioneer in fighting for Sabah’s rights, PBS has never wavered in the quest to claim what rightly belongs to the State.
In this regard, he said the 40 per cent is not an aspiration as claimed by lawyer Tengku Fuad Ahmad in court, while also claiming to represent the State Government on the matter.
”We are very firm with our stand and we will fight for Sabah and Sabahans rights, for as long as it takes,” he said, adding that as a key component of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), PBS is solidly behind Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in the ongoing engagement with Putrajaya to get back the 40 per cent due to Sabah.
He said PBS, through its President Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, who was also the former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) had highlighted this issue with the then prime ministers through the Special Council on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Gunsalam was reacting to Fuad’s sudden appearance at the Kota Kinabalu High Court on Thursday where he submitted an application to intervene, which refers to the procedure of an outside party, who are not the original parties, joining a case.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers did not object, but Sabah Law Society’s counsels Dr David Fung, Jeyan T.M. Marimuttu and Janice Junie Lim, objected.
SLS argued that the Sabah government had no right to be heard since the appeal was only concerning the leave application.
But Fuad argued that the intervention was necessary to prevent the risk that the Sabah government’s rights to challenge the 40 per cent special grant provisions could be extinguished without ever being heard.
He added that there was no need for SLS to seek a judicial review because the Sabah government is already cooperating with the federal government to review matters about the Sabah special grant.
The Court of Appeal adjourned its decision on the federal government’s appeal against the leave granted to SLS.
Gunsalam said it has to be recognised that, against all odds, PBS won four consecutive State elections in 1985, 1986, 1990 and 1994 because of its commitment to fight for Sabah’s interest as enshrined in the MA63 and IGC Report.
“PBS will continue to be steadfast in fighting for state’s rights which have long been PBS’ core struggle since its inception in 1985,” said Gunsalam, who is also Deputy Chief Minister.
