KUALA LUMPUR: Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau welcomed the increase in Sabah’s development allocation under Budget 2026 from RM6.7 billion to RM6.9 billion but said distribution must truly reflect Sabah and Sarawak’s status as equal partners with Peninsular Malaysia under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Speaking during the Budget 2026 debate in Parliament, Madius noted that of the RM81 billion national development expenditure, 86 pc of projects are located in Peninsular Malaysia, while only 8.5 pc and 7.4 pc are in Sabah and Sarawak respectively.
“This means the two Borneo regions receive only around 15.9 pc of total development projects, raising doubts about whether our equal partner status is genuinely recognised,” he said.
He also sought clarification on the portion of Sabah’s allocation given as loans, continuation projects, and new projects, while welcoming the increase in Special Grants under Article 112C of the Federal Constitution from RM300 million to RM600 million.
“Despite the higher allocation, Sabah’s development must be accelerated. Equal partner status must be implemented, not just a slogan,” he stressed.
