Sabah caretaker chief minister Hajiji Noor has thanked Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Cabinet for choosing not to appeal the High Court ruling on the state’s 40% share of federal revenue.
Hajiji described the move as proof of Anwar’s grasp of Sabah’s hopes and his true dedication to the Federal Constitution.
“In my discussions with the prime minister, I stressed that Sabah’s constitutional rights must be upheld and delivered,” he said in a statement.
“The no-appeal decision highlights the solid ties between the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government and Putrajaya.”
The Attorney-General’s Chambers revealed the outcome from a special Cabinet meeting today on the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s Oct 17 judgment.
The ruling arose from a judicial review by the Sabah Law Society against the federal government.
Last month, the court found Putrajaya had unlawfully denied Sabah its 40% revenue share for nearly five decades.
The AGC told the Cabinet that the federal government honours the special grant principle in the Constitution and will start talks with Sabah right away.
Hajiji viewed the step as key to closing Sabah’s development gap with Peninsular Malaysia, especially in rural spots.
“Sabahans have waited far too long. We need real action and sincere resolve to fulfil the 40% right,” he added.
Hajiji affirmed the state government’s readiness for positive talks with Putrajaya to follow the court’s review order and urged ongoing public backing for Anwar’s leadership.
