Kota Kinabalu: The Warisan-led Sabah government could have done more in reclaiming the state’s right to 40% of its revenue but Pakatan Harapan (PH) did not support the move, claims former chief minister Shafie Apdal.
The Warisan president said Sabah PH leaders in the state government did not support him when he tried to pressure the federal government to fulfil their financial obligations.
This was why he believed Sabah PH’s suit against Putrajaya, seeking a declaration that the state’s 40% revenue share formula was still applicable, was merely a publicity stunt.
“There was no need to go to court when PH was the government. So, why do they want to drag this issue to court now. Is it to show that they are brave?” he said.
“When we voiced our demands, (former Sabah PKR chief) Christina Liew said, oh sorry, it’s a party call. Then KL called and told them no.
“Sabah DAP also said it’s a party call. Then (former finance minister) Lim Guan Eng said there was no money.
“These Sabah PH leaders followed their party, they did not follow Sabah’s voice,” he said.
Shafie also criticised Upko for joining PH, reiterating that it was PH’s fault that Warisan could not pursue reclaiming Sabah’s rights.
Unlike PH, he said, Warisan will not be resorting to such publicity stunts but will keep on fighting for Sabah’s rights under the Federal Constitution.
Last June, 12 PH elected representatives in Sabah filed a legal action at the Kota Kinabalu High Court, seeking a declaration that the state’s 40% revenue share formula, as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963, was still applicable.
They are also seeking declarations that a review of Putrajaya’s annual grant to Sabah should have been carried out in 1974, and that the 2022 review – jointly announced by the federal and Sabah state governments in April – was unconstitutional.
In March, finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz revealed that the 40% formula was no longer applicable.
Upko’s incoming president Ewon Benedick was also reported to have said that the coalition’s elected representatives will continue to pursue their suit in court even if PH came into power.
- No need for asset declaration -
Meanwhile, Shafie said it was pointless for political leaders to declare their assets if no action would be taken against those who suspiciously manage to acquire a lot of wealth over a short period of time.
“As for Warisan candidates, what is there for us to declare? What is important for us is to win the election first. There is no use in just declaring our assets for others to see.
“Some people declare their assets but actually their assets are more than that. Is there any action taken?”
Shafie maintained that he did not mind declaring his assets and that he had done so when he was Sabah chief minister and also when required to do so as an MP.
PKR has made it mandatory for its election candidates to declare their assets, while anti-graft activists have also urged candidates from other parties to follow suit.
However, even PKR’s main partner in PH, DAP, said it did not have any plans to make its candidates declare their assets.
Meanwhile, Shafie said Warisan will launch its manifesto when the time comes, adding that it was pointless to have election pledges that were not going to be fulfilled.
