KOTA KINABALU: Sabah should be more serious in getting back the 40 per cent state revenue from the taxes collected by the federal government.
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Senallang) said the entitlement is stated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) which states that it amounts to a breach of contract should it not be fulfilled.
On March 3, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz told the Dewan Rakyat, that the 40 per cent special grant was no longer applicable as the federal government and the Sabah state government have just concluded negotiations and the details will be announced in the near future.
"There are few options, which is through solidarity (among state leaders) to claim (the 40 per cent revenue) from the federal government.
"Another way is to take it to the court, as it is a breach of contract. We must enforce it seriously. If we don't, they (the central government) will take us for granted and take us for a ride.
"I will have no problem giving support as an opposition chief. We cannot wait. After 60 years independence with Malaysia, we have the worst roads in the country there are still wooden schools at the Usukan constituency, " he said in his debate on the Yang Di Pertua Negeri's policy speech at the state assembly.
Shafie added that to get the 40 per cent revenue, it does not have to go through the state assembly sitting.
When he was the Sabah chief minister, he said, he managed to double the annual special grant for Sabah through a committee.
It was reported that the then Pakatan Harapan government had intended to increase the special grant to Sabah, doubling it for 2020 to RM53.4 million from the previous rate of RM26.7 million. However, it did not materialise due to a change of the federal government in early 2020.
Apart from that, Shafie also raised the issue that the Sabah head of state should appoint a commissioner of oaths based on the recommendation by the judiciary.
On infrastructure development, particularly the road condition in Telupid, Kalabakan, Sindumin, he said that the state should consider the economic returns for people who use the road.
Earlier during the sitting, state Public Works Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin had said the ministry would not be upgrading the Telupid road as the Pan Borneo Highway would be completed in two years.
As the government would not want to waste money in upgrading and dismantling the road later, Bung had asked the people to bear with the condition for the time being.
"How many cars will be broken during that period? They have to evaluate the economic return (in using the infrastructure).
"There are vegetables from Telupid and Lahad Datu that have to be brought to Kota Kinabalu, it is the same with fish from the east coast," said Shafie, adding that there should also be due diligence conducted on contractor companies to ensure they are experienced and transparent in constructing roads.