PUTRAJAYA should honour the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63 and pay Sabah and Sarawak what they are owed in oil royalties and revenue, said former foreign minister Anifah Aman. 

He said Putrajaya should not use the excuse of not having enough money to further delay payments due to Sabah and Sarawak. 

“The federal government should start negotiations immediately and not only acknowledge the rights but also agree to return the rights and execute initial payments to Sabah and Sarawak to show goodwill. 

“Only then can the methods and quantum of payment be negotiated further. This has to be done for the benefit of the people of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said. 

Anifah said Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal was right to tell the federal government not to take too long to return Sabah’s rights, including to 40% revenue, as set down in the MA63.

Shafie had said that when asked to comment on Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng admission that Putrajaya had no money to pay Sabah what it was due.

Anifah said it was the guarantee of its rights that had convinced Sabah to agree in 1963 to form Malaysia with Sarawak, Singapore and the Federation of Malaya.

This is not the first time the federal government has told Sabah it does not have funds to pay the state what it is due. 

In 1974, the federal government declined to carry out a mandatory five-year review of the revenue sharing terms on the grounds it was “not in the financial position to do a review.” 

“As a Sabahan Kimanis MP, I am all for Shafie in this matter and I seek other Sabahan leaders to support all efforts towards expediting and restoring Sabah’s rights as stipulated in the agreement. 

“I once again state that should the proposal be tabled in Parliament, I would give it my 100%  support and seek the support of other Sabahan leaders as well regardless of political beliefs as this is what we in Sabah and Sarawak have been fighting for,” said Anifah. 

Anifah said he believed his opposition colleagues from Sabah and Sarawak were ready to unite for the cause. – December 1, 2018.