Kota Kinabalu: Liberal Democratic Party Vice President David Ong has called for immediate and concrete measures to improve financial transparency, urging the Federal Government to overhaul its management of revenues collected from Sabah.
David said taxes collected in Sabah including income tax, corporate tax and export duties have for decades been channelled into federal accounts by agencies such as the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, with little disclosure to the State on how much is collected or returned.
“This lack of transparency is no longer acceptable. Sabahans have the right to know how much revenue is generated from our state and how much is returned to us,” he said in a statement.
Directing his appeal to the Federal Ministry of Finance, David said that Sabah’s standing as a founding partner of Malaysia under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 means the State should not be kept in the dark about its own financial contributions to the federation.
He said Sarawak faces a similar situation.
“The question is simple, are Sabah and Sarawak receiving a fair share of funds in return for what we contribute? Without transparency, this question cannot be properly answered,” he said.
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To address the issue, he proposed the establishment of a jointly administered revenue account in Sabah, to be overseen by both the Federal and state governments, which would serve as a mechanism to record and verify all revenues derived from the State.
He said that without such a system, ongoing discussions on revenue sharing including Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement would remain mired in uncertainty and mistrust.
“Without a transparent system, discussions on revenue sharing, including the 40 per cent entitlement, will continue to be clouded by uncertainty and mistrust,” he said.
He said the proposal was aimed at strengthening accountability rather than stoking conflict, but cautioned that continued opacity would deepen public concern over whether Sabah was being treated equitably within the federation.
“Sabahans are no longer satisfied with general assurances. We want clarity, fairness, and the right to know,” he said.
