Kota Kinabalu: Warisan has called on the Sabah State government to secure an official written commitment from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX) guaranteeing that the interim payment of RM3.019 billion will be paid annually beginning in 2026 until Sabah’s full 40pc constitutional entitlement is resolved.
Warisan Youth leader Melvin Lo said Sabah could no longer be made to wait indefinitely for what he described as long-overdue constitutional rights.
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“Sabah cannot continue to be forced to wait without certainty while the state’s constitutional rights have been delayed for far too long. The people of Sabah deserve a clear guarantee, not merely promises that the matter is still under negotiation,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Melvin also criticised the state government for continuing to rely on what he described as vague assurances of “positive negotiations” and “good relations with Putrajaya” without delivering concrete outcomes.
“If the government is truly serious about defending Sabah’s rights, then this annual interim payment must be guaranteed immediately as part of Sabah’s constitutional entitlement, not as a political goodwill gesture that can change according to circumstances and political interests,” he said.
He further questioned whether the state government’s recent stronger stance on Sabah’s 40pc revenue claim was influenced by mounting pressure from Warisan and growing public scrutiny over the issue.
“Before this issue gained public attention, why was the state government so cautious and afraid to speak firmly about Sabah’s rights? Why were there mostly diplomatic statements instead of strong pressure being applied on Putrajaya?” Melvin asked.
Melvin also linked the issue to ongoing controversies surrounding the state administration, including corruption-related allegations that have recently attracted public attention, questioning whether those controversies had weakened the government’s resolve in dealing firmly with the federal government on Sabah’s constitutional rights.
“Now, after being pressured repeatedly and after their weaknesses began to be openly questioned, only then do they want to appear as heroes supposedly fighting for Sabah’s rights,” he added.
Despite this, he stressed that Sabahans were capable of distinguishing between consistent advocacy and what he described as politically motivated reactions.
“Sabah’s rights are not a seasonal issue. Sabah’s rights are not a tool to cover up political weaknesses. They must be fought for consistently, courageously, and without bowing to political pressure from the federal government,” he said.
