KOTA KINABALU: The Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) considers the lack of allocation for electricity tariff subsidies in Sabah within the 2025 Budget to be a significant issue and questions why the Federal Cabinet Minister representing Sabah did not bring this matter up during the Federal Cabinet Meeting.
Dr. Kanul Gindol, a member of the Anak Negeri Supreme Council, stated that critical aspects of the 2025 Budget, including the electricity tariff subsidy for Sabah, should have been thoroughly examined at both the Cabinet and Federal Ministry levels.
He expressed that the actions taken by the Tuaran MP to highlight this issue in the Dewan Rakyat were appropriate and should serve to inform the citizens of Sabah.
“The residents of Sabah are disheartened by the apparent lack of attention from the Federal Minister from Sabah, who did not adequately review the specifics of the 2025 Budget for the state and neglected to address the cancellation of the electricity tariff subsidy during the Federal Cabinet Meeting.
“I must enquire whether the Federal Minister from Sabah is uninformed, ineffective, or perhaps hesitant to raise the concerns of the Sabah populace in the Federal Cabinet Meeting.”
Kanul emphasised that the Federal Minister from Sabah must take decisive and proactive measures to address the deficiencies in financial allocations for the state.
He pointed out that while RM866 million was allocated for Sabah’s electricity tariff subsidy in 2024, this subsidy has been omitted from the 2025 Budget.
Kanul argued that the Prime Minister’s explanation regarding the Federal Government’s financial and fiscal limitations is unacceptable, especially since the Federal Government had previously committed to extending tariff subsidy support (TTS) to Sabah for an additional six years.
He further questioned whether the cancellation of the electricity tariff subsidy for Sabah is related to the increase in the Sabah Special Grant, which amounts to RM600 million in 2025.
