SENATOR Datuk Anna Bell Perian wants the Federal Government to provide concrete timelines and measurable targets on a raft of unresolved State issues, including the long-delayed review of Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
She raised the matter during the Royal Address debate in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, pressing Putrajaya for answers on the Pan Borneo Highway, water and electricity supply, rural poverty and border security.
On the MA63, she called on the government to clarify the current status of the special grant review under Article 112C of the Federal Constitution and to establish a fixed formula based on actual revenue to ensure fiscal certainty for Sabah.
She also urged a review of laws governing Sabah’s rights over the continental shelf and petroleum resources, saying the legal interpretation must reflect the spirit of state autonomy agreed at Malaysia’s formation.
Additionally, she suggested a package-by-package breakdown of Phase 1B completion figures for the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah and the latest project completed dates, pointing out that the project is essential for economic growth, road safety and access to services in the interior.
She also called for a clear timeline on the Southern Link project and the replacement of old water pipes in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau, citing persistent disruptions to water and electricity supply as an ongoing burden on Sabah residents.
On poverty, she pointed out that Tongod, Nabawan and Pitas are among the poorest districts in the country and asked how the RM6.9 billion development allocation in Budget 2026 would be distributed to raise rural household incomes in those areas.
She also touched on the Madani Submarine Cable Connection project and inquired whether it was delivering internet improvements to the rural interiors of Sabah and Sarawak.
On security, she called for expanded use of long-range drones and artificial intelligence within the Eastern Sabah Security Zone to counter cross-border crime threats.
Additionally, she called for faster implementation of flood mitigation projects in affected areas and raised the long-standing absence of permanent premises for GiatMara vocational training centres, which she said had been operating without their own buildings despite years in service.
“National progress cannot be measured solely through economic growth. It must be assessed by the extent to which the benefits of development reach the people at the grassroots level, particularly in Sabah,” she said.
Anna called on the government to make regional equity a central pillar of the 13th Malaysia Plan, pointing out that the development gap between Sabah and other parts of the country must be addressed systematically.
