By Johnny S.H. Liew, Kota Kinabalu Coordinator Change Advocate Movement Sabah (CAMOS)
KOTA KINABALU: The Change Advocate Movement Sabah (CAMOS) today condemned the statement by Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Chan Foong Hin, who previously questioned Sabah’s demand for its 40% net revenue entitlement by comparing it to the situation in Selangor and Penang.
CAMOS described Chan’s comments as shameful, ignorant, and insulting to Sabahans, especially coming at a time when the High Court has just ruled in favour of the Sabah Law Society (SLS) — affirming that the Federal Government is constitutionally obligated to pay Sabah its rightful share under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution.
“It is disgraceful that a Sabah MP would downplay his own state’s constitutional rights. The court has spoken — Sabah is entitled by law, not by sympathy. This is not a negotiation, it is justice long delayed,” said CAMOS spokesperson Johnny Liew.
CAMOS reminded Chan and DAP Sabah that Sabah’s 40% entitlement is not a subsidy, grant, or bonus, but a solemn constitutional guarantee written into the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) — a condition upon which Sabah agreed to form Malaysia.
“Selangor and Penang were already part of Malaya before 1963. Sabah and Sarawak were not. Our rights are enshrined in an international treaty — MA63 — and in the Federal Constitution itself. To compare that with state allocations in Penang is a gross distortion of history and law,” Johnny Liew said.
CAMOS accused Chan and DAP Sabah of echoing Malayan-centric thinking, the very mentality that has kept Sabah economically dependent and politically sidelined for decades.
“This ‘don’t ask too much’ mentality is the reason Sabah is still struggling with poverty, weak infrastructure, and systemic neglect. Instead of defending Sabah, Chan speaks like a Kuala Lumpur apologist,” Johnny Liew added.
The movement said that Sabah’s fight for fiscal rights does not undermine the federation, but strengthens it — because true federalism must be based on equality, not subservience.
“When Sabah demands what is rightfully ours, we are not weakening Malaysia — we are restoring balance and fairness to the federation. Justice for Sabah is justice for Malaysia,” Johnny Liew stressed.
CAMOS also urged Parti Warisan and all Sabah-based parties to take note of Chan’s and DAP Sabah betrayal of Sabah’s cause, and ensure that future leaders representing Sabah in Parliament will stand with their people, not against them.
“We remind Chan Foong Hin — you were elected by Sabahans, not by Putrajaya. Your loyalty should be to the people of Sabah, not to federal convenience,” Johnny Liew said.
CAMOS concluded that with the court ruling now in Sabah’s favour, the task ahead is to enforce the judgment, not to question or water it down with false equivalences.
“The High Court has spoken. Sabah’s rights are law. Any Sabah leader who argues otherwise is betraying his own people.”
