PUTRAJAYA: Budget 2027 must mark the start of a fairer Federal development policy to address the longstanding disparity between Malaya and Sabah and Sarawak, said Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star) president Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan (pic).He said Federal development allocations should reflect the geographical size, population, infrastructure needs, development backlog and economic potential of the two Borneo States.Jeffrey said Sabah remained the country’s poorest State, with eight of Malaysia’s 10 poorest districts located there, while its gross domestic product per capita was less than half the national average.He also proposed that Sabah’s constitutional entitlement to 40 per cent of the net revenue derived by the Federal Government from the State be calculated and paid from 2026 onwards, while the entitlement for 1974 to 2021 could be negotiated separately.Jeffrey said the Federal Government should establish a clear and transparent mechanism for calculating and paying the 40 per cent entitlement moving forward, adding that Budget 2027 should not repeat past allocation patterns and should recognise Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the Federation.
