Kota Kinabalu: Kapayan Assemblyman Chin Tek Ming pushed hard Monday for a motion demanding the Federal Government come clean on how much revenue it has collected from Sabah since 2022 and pay back the State’s 40 per cent share.
Chin, visibly fired up on the assembly floor, said the motion, backed by fellow opposition members, covers four years from 2022 to 2025 under the Madani Government and has nothing to do with the ongoing Sabah Law Society (SLS) case still before the Court of Appeal.
“This is separate from SLS. That is still in court. Our motion has no sub judice issue,” he told the House, with Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M Yahya presiding.
Chin said the motion sets out three clear steps. Firstly, the Federal Government must disclose the total revenue collected from Sabah.
Secondly, it must be given 60 days to reveal the figures. Thirdly, after that, the State’s 40 per cent share must be paid within 90 days.
Chin said Sabah’s case is now easier to prove because, since the Madani Government took over, invoices, digital payment records and revenue data can be readily obtained from the federal government.
“Simple. Only four years. We do not want to talk about the SLS case,” he said.
He said the motion would give the State Government a clear mandate from all assemblymen representing all Sabahans to press Putrajaya firmly for answers and payment.
Chin grew heated when he raised that four meetings had already been held between the State and Federal governments with no visible results.
He said he had put a question to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, asking what was discussed in those four meetings and requesting that the minutes be tabled in the House.
He was told the meetings were still ongoing and releasing the minutes could jeopardise the process. Chin rejected that reasoning.
“What is so secretive about that? It is not a secret matter. We have the right to know,” he said.
Just as the House was about to call it a day, a sharp exchange erupted when the Speaker questioned why Chin assumed the motion would pass.
Chin shot back that whoever refused to support it would be seen as not wanting the 40 per cent for Sabah.
A government assemblyman then weighed in, pointing out that the court had already ruled the 40 per cent was Sabah’s as of right and questioned why Chin was implying the State Government was not being firm enough.
Chin said the problem was the endless delays through appeal after appeal.
“Until we die, we will never see it,” he said.
Several assemblymen stood during the heated debate, including those from Kiulu, Kuala Penyu and Elopura.
The Speaker told Chin he would decide on the motion before the end of the assembly session.
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