Kota Kinabalu: Datuk Junz Wong (Warisan - Tanjung Aru) called for Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement to be explicitly included in the 2026 State Budget, warning that the absence of even a nominal figure weakens the State’s negotiating position with the Federal Government.
Speaking during the 2026 Sabah Budget debate, Wong said assemblymen lacked clarity on the actual amount owed to Sabah.
“Assemblymen themselves do not have clarity on the actual amount involved, despite various public figures being cited such as RM10 billion,” he said.
Welcoming the High Court’s ruling affirming Sabah’s constitutional rights under Articles 112C and 112D, Wong urged the inclusion of an estimated figure in the Budget to send a serious message to the Federal Government.
“This would demonstrate seriousness regarding Sabah’s claim,” he said.
Wong also expressed concern over inefficiencies at the Sepanggar Bay Container Port, citing container dwell times of up to four hours and external queues lasting an hour.
“This level of inefficiency is not acceptable for a major port. Businesses are already burdened by high operating costs,” he said.
On industrial development, Wong questioned claims of strong manufacturing performance, noting Sabah’s manufacturing contribution to GDP was 7.2 per cent in 2024, lower than the 7.3 per cent recorded in 2018.
He urged the State Government to focus on downstream development based on agriculture and local strengths.
Highlighting gaps in support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Wong described them as the backbone of Sabah’s economy, linking the omission to persistently high unemployment in the State.
On education, Wong welcomed increased allocations for non-Islamic religious bodies but reminded the Government of its election pledge to establish a RM5 million scholarship fund for Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) students.
“This was clearly announced during the campaign. It is not reflected in the current Budget,” he said.
On social welfare, Wong questioned claims that Sabah had achieved zero hardcore poverty as of August 2025 and called for a clear definition to enable assemblymen to identify and assist eligible residents.
He also queried the omission of the Personal Accident (PA) insurance scheme introduced by the previous government.
Wong proposed that quarterly performance reports of government-linked companies be tabled in the Assembly to strengthen transparency and accountability.
He further raised concerns over rising human-wildlife conflict, citing a sharp increase in fatal crocodile attacks between 2021 and 2024.
“This is no longer a rural issue. Crocodiles are being sighted in urban and tourist areas, posing serious risks to public safety and tourism,” he said.
At the constituency level, Wong highlighted crime concerns in Tanjung Aru, partly attributing it to poor street lighting around abandoned buildings, and called for priority upgrades along the Tanjung Aru corridor, a key tourism route.
“I support this 2026 State Budget. The 40 per cent entitlement must be reflected if we are serious about asserting Sabah’s constitutional rights,” he said.
