KOTA KINABALU: A move by Sabah lawyers to seek a judicial review on the state’s 40% revenue rights is a positive non-partisan initiative, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pic).
He said the state viewed the move by the Sabah Law Society (SLS) in a positive light and non-political in the common furtherance of the constitutional arrangements when Sabah formed Malaysia in 1963.
The state government, he said, had taken note of SLS’ application for a judicial review in respect of the 40% net revenue in the form of a special grant that Sabah is entitled to under the Federal Constitution.
“The Sabah government has been and will continue to vigorously pursue the 40% entitlement and other legitimate rights and interests of Sabah with the Federal Government,” he said, in a statement yesterday.
In April, the Chief Minister had said Sabah welcomed the four-fold increment in the special grant for the state from the Federal Government, from RM26.7mil to RM125.6mil beginning this year.
Hajiji said the move was a good development for Sabah while the state government continues to pursue the 40% entitlement as enshrined under the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63).
The SLS filed for the judicial review on Thursday to overturn Putrajaya’s gazettement of the annual grant for Sabah as it was not in line with the state’s revenue rights under the MA63.
Sabah Pakatan Harapan, through 12 of its lawmakers, also filed a claim in the High Court to seek Sabah’s rights to its entitlement for the return of 40% of federal revenue from the state on June 3.