KOTA KINABALU: The Parti Warisan Sabah has issued a detailed explanation to refute claims that the Warisan Government agreed to accept a lower rate for the Special Grant after taking over the state administration in 2018.
Former Assistant Minister of Finance and Merotai Assemblyman Sarifuddin Hata stated that the report on the allegations only tells part of the true story.
“As someone directly involved in the negotiations at that time as the Assistant Minister of Finance for Sabah, I feel responsible to clarify the actual facts.
“When Warisan took over the state administration in 2018, Sabah was receiving only RM26.7 million in Special Grants, a rate that had remained unchanged since 1968, despite Sabah’s rights being guaranteed under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution,” he said in a statement today.
According to Sarifuddin, the Warisan government at that time chose not to remain silent.
“We initiated negotiations with the Federal Government to review that rate and seek a fairer resolution for Sabah.
“The proposed increase to RM53.4 million was part of that negotiation process.
“It was not a final resolution and did not signify the end of Sabah’s claims,” he stated.
He emphasised that negotiations were still ongoing, and the goal of the Warisan government at that time was to achieve a formula that truly reflected Sabah’s constitutional rights.
“Unfortunately, those negotiations could not be finalised when the Federal Government changed following the Sheraton Move.
“After that, the country faced the COVID-19 pandemic, and shortly thereafter, the Warisan Government was also ousted,” he said.
Sarifuddin noted that the ongoing negotiation process ultimately came to a halt.
“Therefore, it is inaccurate to portray that Warisan has relinquished Sabah’s rights.
In essence, Warisan is the government that has resumed negotiations after Sabah had long been receiving only RM26.7 million.
“Interestingly, after the High Court’s decision last year that the review of the Special Grant must be conducted according to Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution, that “decision has been appealed”.
“Thus, the more pressing question to address today is, when will Sabah’s constitutional rights truly be implemented?
He stated that the people of Sabah should not be misled by narratives that selectively choose certain facts while ignoring the overall context.
He mentioned that Warisan’s struggle has never been limited to the figure of RM53.4 million.
“Our goal has remained unchanged from the beginning until now, which is to ensure that Sabah receives its rights as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution,” he added.
