KOTA KINABALU: The RM1.5 billion interim special grant announced for Sabah should be channelled directly into the state’s coffers to ensure it is managed transparently and delivers maximum benefit to Sabahans, says Bantuan Orang Susah Sabah (BOSS) president Datuk Kenny Chua.
Kenny said while the increased allocation is a positive development in federal–state fiscal relations, its real value will only be realised if the funds are administered at state level where they can be aligned with Sabah’s most urgent needs.
He said Sabah continues to face persistent challenges including rural poverty, infrastructure deficits and high cost of living pressures and therefore requires flexible and locally managed spending decisions.
“The RM1.5 billion must go straight into the Sabah state coffers. Only then can it truly be used in a way that reflects the needs on the ground,” he said in a statement.
He said decentralised management of the funds would allow the state government to prioritise critical areas such as rural road upgrades, water supply systems, basic healthcare access and targeted assistance for low-income families.
Kenny added that Sabahans are not only concerned about the size of federal allocations, but also about how quickly and effectively the money reaches the people who need it most.
“What matters is not just the announcement of billions, but whether a villager in the interior or a single mother in the city actually feels the impact. That can only happen if implementation is fast and locally driven,” he said.
He also urged both federal and state authorities to ensure transparency in the management of the funds, including clear reporting mechanisms so the public can track how the money is spent.
“We welcome the allocation, but we also want assurance that every ringgit reaches the rakyat without unnecessary delays or leakage,” he added.
He expressed appreciation to Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor for his role in strengthening engagement with the federal government, which he said has contributed to improved fiscal outcomes for the state.
“We thank the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor for his continuous efforts in engaging Putrajaya to secure better allocations for Sabah,” he said.
Kenny also extended his appreciation to Sabah leaders including Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan and Tan Sri Anifah Aman, recognising their earlier efforts in advancing Sabah’s long-standing 40% revenue entitlement claim at the federal level.
He referred to their engagement in 2015 with then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, when Sabah leaders pressed for formal recognition of the state’s constitutional entitlement under the Federal Constitution, particularly the mechanism linked to the Tenth Schedule and Article 112C/112D.
At the time, Anifah and Kitingan framed the 40% entitlement as a constitutional right rather than a political demand, leading to the establishment of a federal–state technical review mechanism to study and verify Sabah’s revenue entitlement calculation.
That Najib-era process marked the first structured federal acknowledgment that Sabah’s claim required formal technical review rather than purely political negotiation.
Kenny said continuity in these efforts across different administrations has helped keep Sabah’s fiscal rights on the national agenda.
He reiterated that while Sabah’s constitutional rights remain central, immediate priority should be ensuring that the RM1.5 billion allocation is efficiently used to address poverty, infrastructure gaps and basic service deficiencies across the state.
“At the end of the day, Sabahans are asking for dignity. Whether in the interior or in urban poor communities, they want to see real improvements in their daily lives,” he added.
