KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanahairku (STAR) Deputy President Datuk Kenny Chua said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s remarks on the Federal Government’s financial responsibilities toward Sabah have reinforced the views long held by party president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Chua said the Prime Minister’s clarification regarding Sabah’s long-standing 40 per cent revenue entitlement has raised concern among many Sabahans, who view the statement as a possible misunderstanding of the state’s constitutional rights.
“Either the Prime Minister got it wrong about Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement or there was a misinterpretation of the issue — no one knows. But clearly, his clarification has caused unease among Sabahans who find it difficult to accept. Coming from the Prime Minister himself makes it even more concerning,” Chua said in a statement.
He was commenting on a brief exchange between Anwar and a member of the public during the Prime Minister’s walkabout at the Gaya Street Sunday Market here.
In a video of the encounter, which has since gone viral, Anwar said the Federal Government collected around RM10 billion in revenue from Sabah while allocating approximately RM17 billion back to the state.
“Don’t listen to the political campaigns of others, listen to me — I am the Prime Minister,” Anwar was heard saying in the clip.
The man had asked when the Federal Government would fulfil Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of federal revenue derived from the state, as provided under Article 112C of the Federal Constitution — a provision recently affirmed by the High Court in Kota Kinabalu.
During the exchange, the man maintained that the 40 per cent entitlement referred to tax revenue, which was distinct from annual federal allocations. The video ended as Anwar continued to explain his position.
Chua said Dr Jeffrey had long foreseen how federal leaders would interpret Sabah’s rights and had dedicated his life to defending them.
“He was right then, and he is right now. Because of him, Sabahans today understand their rights. (Former Prime Minister) Tun Dr Mahathir once warned Dr Jeffrey not to teach people what they didn’t know — but today, Sabahans know,” he said.
Chua also referred to former Foreign Minister Tan Sri Anifah Aman’s past remarks expressing frustration that federal ministers from Sabah were not championing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“Anifah said he reached out to Dr Jeffrey because he was the only one in Sabah who consistently fought for our rights. Together with other leaders and prominent lawyers, they worked to push the MA63 agenda to then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” Chua said.
Despite these efforts, Chua said the Federal Government still appeared to misunderstand Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement, which he described as a “constitutional repayment.”
“Many people are surprised that the Prime Minister appears to have conflated the federal allocations with what is constitutionally owed to Sabah,” he said.
He added that Treasury Secretary-General Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican’s recent statement — that federal expenditure in Sabah had risen from RM13–14 billion and was projected to reach RM17 billion next year, exceeding the 40 per cent entitlement — was also misleading.
“The 40 per cent share is our constitutional right, not a gift or subsidy,” Chua stressed, concurring with Dr Jeffrey that federal spending and Sabah’s entitlement are separate matters.
Dr Jeffrey had earlier pointed out that, based on publicly available data, the Federal Government collected around RM50 billion annually from Sabah in 2023 and 2024, which would mean RM20 billion — or 40 per cent — rightfully belongs to the state.
Chua said this explains why Sabah remains the poorest region in Malaysia despite its contributions to national revenue.
“The 40 per cent entitlement means a lot to Sabahans — it could fund scholarships for our children, improve infrastructure, welfare, and create opportunities for the people. Yet, we remain the poorest,” he said.
“Sabahans are now rising to their power to reclaim their rights,” he said while calling Sabahans to fully stand behind Dr Jeffrey and his party as the fight for Sabah’s rights will continue to be challenging given the mindset of Federal leaders.
“Sabah needs the right leader who truly understands Sabah’s rights to face them,” Chua added.
Caption: Chua (fourth left) receiving membership forms from 40 former PBS members in Kg Mansiang, Menggatal.
