Fadillah with Jeffrey and Ewon after the MA63 meeting at Menara Kinabalu today. – Bernama photo
KOTA KINABALU (July 14): The decision on Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue claim under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is expected to be finalised before the Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the Sabah government had submitted proposed solutions regarding the long-standing 40 per cent revenue claim during a special meeting of the Technical Committee under the MA63 Implementation Action Council (MTPMA63), held at Menara Kinabalu.
Fadillah, who also chairs the committee, said that each proposed solution would be presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ahead of the next MTPMA63 meeting, scheduled for Sept 12 in Kuala Lumpur.
“At that meeting, we will determine the appropriate course of action, whether an interim solution or otherwise, as we must also consider the ongoing court case, filed by the Sabah Law Society, regarding the 40 per cent revenue claim,” he said.
“In legal terms, there are limitations that prevent us from finalising a solution without a decision from the court. However, what we are seeking is a resolution outside the court’s jurisdiction,” he told reporters after chairing the committee meeting at Menara Kinabalu, here today.
A High Court here has fixed August 7 for e-review of a judicial review brought by SLS to get declaration on 40 percent entitlement grant for Sabah which allegedly had not been reviewed for 48 years since 1974.
The meeting was also attended by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan; and Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey said that the special meeting was productive, and that the Sabah government had submitted proposals concerning the 40 per cent revenue claim, which will be reviewed by the MTPMA63.
Meanwhile, Fadillah paid a courtesy call on the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah, Tun Musa Aman, at Istana Seri Kinabalu here yesterday.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said it was his first courtesy call on Tun Musa since his appointment as the 11th Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah on Jan 1.
“The visit is a gesture of respect, as I have not had the opportunity to pay a courtesy call on Tuan Yang Terutama Tun and to brief him on the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation’s (PETRA) plans to assist Sabah in the energy and water sectors,” he said.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, he also touched on the Special Meeting of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 Implementation Action Council Technical Committee with the Sabah government, as well as the implementation of the two-day PETRA Squad programme startingn today.
“Tuan Yang Terutama Tun expressed his wish for me to discuss further with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor ways to develop the state, enabling the people of Sabah to enjoy its benefits and contribute to its progress,” he said.
