We’re being played out, sue Putrajaya!

KOTA KINABALU - Sabah opposition leader Jeffrey Kitingan today urged the state government to take legal action against Putrajaya, saying the federal government has failed to honour the 40% revenue entitlement.

“Is there any mechanism set by the state government to ensure Sabah will get back its rights?” asked Kitingan in the state assembly.

Kitingan said Sabah has the right to get 40% of the revenue collected from the state as stated in Article 112(c) of the Federal Constitution.

Under the constitution, Putrajaya must return 40% of the total revenue collected from taxes, levies and other federal fees imposed in Sabah.

“Sabah should be getting RM24 billion from the federal government as it has collected around RM60 billion. It is mandatory that every five years, both federal and state governments must meet and review the 40%.

“We have not been getting anything apart from the amount specified in 1969. It is a big loss for Sabahans,” he said, questioning the 2020 budget’s allocation of RM53 million for Sabah, which he said was merely doubling the amount of what the federal government had been paying since 1976.

“We are being played out here,” said Kitingan, who said Sabah needs a budget of around RM6 billion.

By Jason Santos