by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 12: The Federal Government’s decision not to appeal the High Court ruling affirming Sabah’s constitutional entitlement to 40 per cent state revenue has been hailed as a victory for East Malaysia’s constitutional rights.
Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap described the move as a historic acknowledgment of Sabah and Sarawak’s fiscal standing under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This is not just a victory for Sabah; it is a victory for all East Malaysians, including Sarawak, who have long been calling for fairness and respect for our constitutional rights,” he said in a press statement.
With the High Court’s ruling, now left unchallenged, he pointed out that it sets a legal precedent that fiscal entitlements under MA63 are enforceable rights, not political discretion.
“Sarawak should now leverage this ruling to press for a full and fair review of its own special grant under Article 112D of the Constitution,” Yap declared.
“Just as the High Court found that the Federal Government failed to review Sabah’s entitlement since 1974, the same can be said for Sarawak,” he asserted, noting that decades of inaction had resulted in Sarawak’s own “lost years” of underpayment.
““For far too long, Sarawak’s special grant has remained static and outdated, despite our State being a major contributor to the nation’s wealth through oil, gas, and natural resources.”
Yap urged the Sarawak and Federal Governments to immediately initiate a comprehensive review of Sarawak’s fiscal entitlements, taking into account the State’s vast contribution to national revenue and the pressing need to close rural development gaps.
He stressed that revenue collected from Sarawak should return to its people through improved infrastructure, healthcare, education, and livelihoods.
“We must ensure that Sarawak’s growth is funded by Sarawak’s own contribution,” he added.
“If Putrajaya now acknowledges Sabah’s 40 per cent right, it must also recognise Sarawak’s entitlement to a fair and proportionate return.”
To ensure lasting fiscal fairness, Yap called for greater transparency in how federal revenue is calculated and distributed.
“This is the time for accountability. Sarawak’s people deserve to know how much of what we contribute comes back to us. Fiscal transparency will strengthen federal and state relations and ensure that Sarawak is not short-changed again.
“The Federal Government has shown its willingness to comply with the Constitution and now it is up to us, as Sarawakians, to make sure our own fiscal rights are fully realised,” he said. – DayakDaily
