Jeffrey (centre) with the Keningau Chinese community leaders at the dinner.
KENINGAU (Nov 15): Sabah’s right to the return of 40 per cent net revenue derived by the federal government could have been lost if not for Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s in-depth knowledge about the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Relating what had happened, Jeffrey said the federal government had deemed it a “settled matter” after it paid the new RM125.6 million in special grant to Sabah some time earlier this year.
“I was told that the RM125.6 million was just an interim payment until we get the 40 per cent. But when the federal gazette was released they said it was to replace the 40 per cent.
“Then in a meeting, I noticed that it was put on the list as a settled matter. So, I demanded that they put it back on the list as a matter that was still unsettled even though they had paid Sabah RM125.6 million,” he said during a dinner with the leaders of the Chinese community here on Monday night.
Jeffrey sits in the federal Special Committee on the MA63 by virtue of him being the Sabah Deputy Chief Minister and chairs matters relating to Sabah’s rights at state level.
“If I was not there our rights to the 40 per cent would have been lost,” he said.
Jeffrey, who is defending the Keningau seat in the 15th General Election (GE15), said this is the reason why he still wants to be elected to parliament.
“This is one reason why we need a leader who understands about the MA63 and Sabah’s rights in the federal constitution,” he said.
The struggle and pursuit for Sabah’s rights have always been synonymous with Jeffrey who was once imprisoned and labeled as a crazy person for championing the cause.
He said although the Federal Government has returned some powers to the state, he is still pursuing what matters the most: Sabah’s financial rights.
“Without money, we can’t develop the state. We will always have to beg from the federal government. Without money is the reason why our state will always be poor,” he said.
He figured that the net revenue amount derived by the federal from Sabah amounted to RM60 billion a year.
He pointed out that if RM10 billion from the RM60 billion is taken for various payments being constitutional obligations such as road grants, capitation grants and so on, the balance sum would be RM50 billion out of which RM20 billion net revenue would be returned to Sabah every year.
He said RM20 billion could make a huge socio-economic transformation for Sabah and change people’s lives for better and this remains his unfinished struggle.
“I want to go back to parliament and continue going after this revenue for Sabah,” he said.