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THE decision whether the Federal Government will file an appeal against the Kota Kinabalu High Court's decision on the issue of the 40 percent special grant from Sabah's revenue will be finalised in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said the decision will be made after hearing explanations and official advice from the Attorney General regarding the judgment which asserted that the Federal Government's failure to fulfil Sabah's rights to 40 percent of the Federal revenue for almost five decades was illegal and exceeded the powers of the Constitution.
"In the Cabinet meeting, we have not decided whether to appeal or not. I have explained my personal view which is more inclined not to appeal.
"However, we must first listen to the Attorney General's views, read the judgment, then only make a decision, we must follow the process," he said when met by the media after attending the Sabah Digital Malaysia Tour (JMD) 2025 at Pasar Taman Semarak in Tawau.
The ceremony was also attended by Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun who represented the Chief Minister; Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, Senator Datuk Dr. Fuziah Salleh and Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Anuar Fariz Fadzil.
At the same time, Anwar stressed that the government would make decisions based on facts and legal principles and not on current pressure or sentiment.
“As leaders, we cannot panic. We have to understand the concerns of the people of Sabah, but at the same time we must also respect the Constitution and the legal process,” he said.
Commenting on Datuk Ewon Benedick’s resignation as Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives yesterday, Anwar described the move as hasty because the Cabinet’s decision on the appeal has not yet been finalised.
“He has informed us of the matter, but the official letter has not been received. I understand that he may feel desperate about this situation, but for me it is too early to make such a decision,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Anwar denied that the Cabinet reshuffle was discussed in the Cabinet meeting, instead insisting that the government's main focus now is to resolve the appeal issue.
"The Cabinet reshuffle is not being discussed. Our focus now is to finalize the issue of whether or not to appeal (regarding the Kota Kinabalu High Court decision) and we will resolve it tomorrow," he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar also commented on the appeal by Felda Umas residents in Tawau who are requesting government intervention in the issue of land lot claims for the second generation.
"I ask the residents to be patient. We will first see the comments and discuss them properly. The government has allocated RM1 billion a year to help resolve Felda's debts," he said. - November 10, 2025