Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Government’s firm stand on the State’s 40 per cent net revenue entitlement and the increase of parliamentary seats should receive bipartisan support as it transcends political boundaries, said State Legislative Assembly Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Masiung Banah.
He said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had defended the rights of Sabahans during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here on Sept 11, urging Putrajaya not to delay the 40 per cent revenue demand alongside increasing Sabah’s parliamentary representation.
Masiung, who is also Gagasan Rakyat Vice President and Kuamut Assemblyman, welcomed Anwar’s agreement to amend the Federal Constitution to enable additional parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak so the two Borneo territories can collectively hold at least one-third of the Dewan Rakyat's seats to restore Sabah's original standing.
He clarified that the previously announced RM1.5 billion by the Prime Minister was merely an interim special grant rather than a final settlement of the 40 per cent entitlement, which is why Hajiji continues to push for its expedited implementation through direct negotiations.
Masiung stressed that diplomatic negotiations are far more effective than confrontational approaches that could otherwise harm bilateral relations between Sabah and Putrajaya.
