Kota Kinabalu: Parti Warisan defended its handling of the Sabah Special Grant negotiations in 2019, refuting allegations by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) that the Warisan-led state government previously failed to secure a better deal for Sabah.
Warisan’s solicitor Chin Tek Ming pointed to a recent parliamentary answer from the Federal Ministry of Finance confirming that no agreement was reached between the Warisan government and the PH-led federal government in 2019 on the Special Grant.
Chin said while Warisan agreed to accept an advance payment of RM53 million starting in 2020, this was explicitly stated to be “without prejudice” to Sabah’s 2/5 entitlement under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He claimed the advance payment was intended as a temporary measure while discussions on the full 2/5 entitlement continued.
He further highlighted the absence of a Royal Gazette for the agreed advance payment, which he attributed to Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s cautious approach.
Chin said the gazette was necessary for the annual Federal Budget and its absence for almost a year, from October 2019 to September 2020, indicated that Warisan was not willing to compromise on Sabah’s rights.
However, a new arrangement for the Special Grant was subsequently agreed upon in February 2022, with a gazette being issued within 70 days.
This, he argued, suggests that the PN-led federal government at the time may have been motivated to finalise the agreement quickly after realising the leverage Sabah held due to Warisan’s refusal to issue a gazette for the initial advance payment.
Chin expressed disappointment that “despite Warisan’s commitment to achieving a fair deal for Sabah, some former allies, including GRS, have criticised their actions.”
