Jeffrey claims Federal Government almost swept 40pc issue under the carpet: "Send the right people to Parliament"
Published on: Thursday, November 17, 2022
Jeffrey said although the Federal Government has returned some powers to the State, he is still pursuing what matters the most - Sabah’s financial rights.
KENINGAU: Sabah’s claim for the Federal Government to honour 40 per cent of the net revenue obtained by Federal might have gone unnoticed if not for Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s extensive knowledge of the Malaysia Agreement 1963.Recalling what happened, Jeffrey said the Federal Government had treated the situation as a “settled problem” after giving Sabah a new special grant of RM125.6 million earlier this year.
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“I was told that the RM125.6 million was just an interim payment until we get the 40 per cent. But when the Federal gazette was released, they said it was to replace the 40 per cent.
“Then in a meeting, I noticed that it was put on the list as a settled matter. So, I demanded that they put it back on the list as a matter that was still unsettled even though they had paid Sabah RM125.6 million,” he told leaders of the Chinese community, here.
It was Sabah’s good fortune that being DCM, he sat in the Federal Special Committee on MA63 and chaired matters relating to Sabah’s rights at State level.
“If I was not there, our rights to the 40 per cent would have been lost forever,” he said.
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Jeffrey, who is defending the Keningau seat in the 15th General Election, said this is why he still wants to be elected to Parliament.
“We need leaders in Parliament who understand MA63 and Sabah’s rights in the Federal Constitution,” he said.
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The struggle and pursuit of Sabah’s rights have always been synonymous with Jeffrey who was once imprisoned under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for raising Sabah issues and rights.
He said although the Federal Government has returned some powers to the State, he is still pursuing what matters the most - Sabah’s financial rights.
“Without money, we can’t develop the State. We will always have to beg to Federal Government.
“Without money, our State will always be poor,” he said.
He believed the net revenue derived by Federal from Sabah amounted to around RM60 billion a year and 40pc of this is supposed to be returned to Sabah.
He said if RM10 billion out of RM60 billion is taken for various payments being constitutional obligations such as road grants, capitation grants and so on, the balance would be RM50 billion, out of which RM20 billion net revenue would be returned to Sabah, every year.
He said RM20 billion could make a huge socio-economic transformation for Sabah and change people’s lives for the better and this remains Sabah’s unfinished struggle.
“I want to go back to Parliament and continue going after this revenue for Sabah,” he said.
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