PUTERAJAYA, Malaysia - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has
agreed to form a special committee to study Sabah's 40% entitlement of the net
revenue collected by the federal government from the state, says Malaysia foreign
minister, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman(photo).
The committee will also study thoroughly several issues
especially on the financial rights of the oil and gas royalty, which was last
paid in 1974.
"This committee is very much needed as 'outsiders' are
trying to poison the mind of the younger generation and claiming that when
Malaya took over Sabah, they also took over the property.
"The 40% entitlement for Sabah is a legitimate claim
under the Federal Constitution. It is rightly ours and we rightly deserve
it," Anifah said.
This has gained momentum and we feel we (Sabahans) should
address this by setting aside our political position.
Besides, it is our right
for the entitlement, Anifah told reporters after a meeting with Najib at
Perdana Putra in Putrajaya.
Besides, it is our right
for the entitlement, Anifah told reporters after a meeting with Najib at
Perdana Putra in Putrajaya.
Prior to this, STAR Sabah's Jeffrey Kitingan said that Sabah
was entitled to all arrears on the 40% entitlement since 1975, which appeared
to be last paid in 1974 as it was entrenched in the 10th Schedule of the
Federal Constitution.
On June 17, Kitingan, who is also the assemblyman for
Bingkor, had urged the Sabah government to send a letter to the Federal
Government to demand that it pay an estimated RM100 billion plus compound
interest accumulated and due since 1975.
The RM100 billion plus compound interest does not include an
increase of the present 5% cash payment
or oil royalty to 20% as demanded by the Sarawak government, which will in
Sabah case add another RM3.45
billion per annum.
billion per annum.
The RM100 billion plus includes the 95 per cent oil and gas
revenue that the Federal Government collects in Sabah and the oil and gas
component alone could be worth RM8.72 billion based on Budget 2015 figures.
Source: Bernama
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