THE dispute between Sarawak and Putrajaya over the quantum of the state’s special grants entitlement could be referred to an independent assessor if talks end in a deadlock, Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali told the Sarawak state assembly today.

The deputy minister in Sarawak Premier’s Department said the avenue was provided for under Article 112D (6) of the federal constitution.

She said the recommendation of the assessor is binding on both the federal and Sarawak governments as the recommendation has the “effect as if they were the agreement of those governments”.

Sarawak had rejected the amount Putrajaya had determined.

But neighbour Sabah had agreed to accept its RM125.6 million grant, a 4.7 fold increase from the RM26.7 million it received last year, for year 2022.

Hasidah told the assembly that the state government in ongoing negotiations had submitted a formula to determine the quantum “to ensure that special grants to Sarawak can be distributed fairly and equitably”.

She said Premier Abang Johari Openg at the last meeting of the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MKMA63) in mid April had emphasised the special grant “ought to be based on a reasonable and pragmatic formula taking into account the financial position of the federal government”.

She added the state government has requested for a meeting of the joint consultative committee to be held in the “near future” so that the formula and other related matters could be discussed and agreed upon.

Abang Johari at his Gedong constituency Hari Raya get together in Kuching earlier this month had said he would not budge on his insistence for the formula.

He said it would be most unfair if the federal government makes money but “doesn’t (want to) share with us”.

“If the country is doing well then it (the revenue) must be shared. If the country is not doing well then we all share the burden together,” he said.

“We are also concerned with the financial position of the federal government.”

But the premier said the federal government cannot give any amount they like.

He described what Putrajaya is doing right now to “like feeding the chickens”, in reference to a person grabbing a handful of chicken feed.

Abang Johari also the push for the formula was nothing new.

He said when the short-lived Pakatan Harapan (PH) government was in power, he had proposed the same formula to then finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

The PH government in 2020 paid Sabah RM53.4 million and Sarawak RM32 million.

The special grants are proceeds from the taxes, fees and dues collected, levied or raised by the federal government in Sabah and Sarawak. – May 23, 2022.