PUTRAJAYA: The Unity Government has decided and finalised two out of the three matters requested by 12 Pakatan Harapan Sabah MPs, said Penampang UPKO youth chief Billy Dominic.
He said the first thing to be finalised is the amendment of the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) Act to allow representatives of the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak to be appointed to the IRB Board.
“Now both state governments have access to information on the amount of federal revenue collected in their respective states.
The second matter concerns the Government Gazette in April 2022, which is also being challenged in the initial suit (OS), where the Unity Government has already decided to issue a new gazette regarding the temporary solution (interim solution) of special grants to the Sabah State Government and the Sarawak State Government at the same time will cancel the gazette before,” he said in a media statement today.
Billy said that in the third matter related to the implementation of the 40 percent federal revenue re-grant, the government has also decided the time period for the finalisation and implementation of the federal revenue re-grant formula in Sabah and Sarawak, which is in July 2024.
“On behalf of the UPKO Penampang Youth Movement, I read and examined the comments of many parties regarding the decision of the 12 PH Sabah MPs to withdraw their summons (OS) yesterday.
“I hope that all parties who make this comment should read the OS document, which can be accessed through the court website, so that they can really understand the claims that have been brought to the court.
“It should also be known that yesterday the Court also allowed them to re-file this OS if the demand for the remaining one item is not implemented.
“UPKO President Datuk Ewon Benedick, after being appointed Minister of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development, has declared the legal action against the government, which he took together with the Sabah PH People’s Representatives before that, and then used the Cabinet meeting to demand the same thing he demanded in court through the OS.
“Ewon has stated that he will continue the OS even though Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim is Prime Minister, and it is proven that he has continued the OS for almost ten months since Anwar became Prime Minister, while at the same time demanding through the Cabinet and the Technical Committee of the Action Council for the Implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MTPMA63).
“Two-thirds of the claimed matters have been decided and finalized. While the remaining matter has already been decided and given a period of time to finalise, If this OS continues, then it will be academic. There is no need to continue the OS for claims that have been resolved,” he said.
Billy also expressed his pride in being part of the team that helped Ewon raise those claims in court and, at the same time, raised the solution at the Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings.
“As the Special Duties Officer for Ewon, I know very well what he has fought for through various platforms related to Sabah’s rights issues. In celebration of UPKO’s anniversary last August, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Armizan Ali confirmed Ewon’s firmness in the Cabinet regarding the interests of Sabah.
“I am very sure that Ewon will continue to insist on this matter and will ensure that the decisions made by the government are implemented. The action of Ewon and other plaintiffs seeking court approval to allow the OS to be re-filed if the remaining one-third regarding the implementation of the 40% award proves the wisdom of all the plaintiffs. The court already agreed yesterday,” he said.
