Have Putrajaya-Sabah revenue talks hit a deadlock, asks Kiandee

2026-03-13 - 06:35

Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee questioned whether the federal government truly respects the Kota Kinabalu High Court’s ruling and acknowledges the grievances of Sabahans. PETALING JAYA: An opposition MP has questioned whether negotiations on Sabah’s claim to 40% of net federal revenue derived from the state have reached a dead end, following Putrajaya’s application to stay last year’s High Court ruling on the matter. Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee questioned whether the federal government truly respects the ruling and acknowledges the grievances of Sabahans. “Sabahans deserve an explanation,” he said in a statement. “Sabah’s rights, which are guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, should not be handled half-heartedly. Implementation (of the court order) should not be subjected to delays,” he stressed. Yesterday, Sabah attorney-general Brenndon Keith Soh said the Sabah government would oppose the application for the stay filed on March 3, adding that it remained committed to “complying with both the letter and the spirit of the High Court’s decision”. He said the state government had consistently engaged the relevant federal authorities to exchange information, verify data and discuss possible methodologies for determining the quantum of the 40% special grant entitlement. The Kota Kinabalu High Court had ruled on Oct 17 that the federal government acted unlawfully by failing to honour Sabah’s 40% share of net federal revenue derived from the state for nearly five decades. The court directed the federal government to conduct a review with Sabah to determine the quantum of the state’s entitlement for each financial year from 1974 to 2021. It also ruled that the review must commence within 90 days of the delivery of the judgment and be completed within 180 days, or by April 15 this year.