KOTA KINABALU : Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the Federal’s Appeal on the 40 Percent Judgment Is a Direct Threat to Sabah’s Rights
The Sabah STAR president said the latest announcement by the Prime Minister confirms the fear many Sabahans already sensed.
“The Federal Government says it is not appealing the special grant, yet it is appealing the most important part of the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruling, ” he said in a statement Tonight.
According to him, they want the court to remove the findings that the Federal Government acted unlawfully for fifty years, breached the Constitution, failed its duty and abused its power.
“This is not a small matter. This is the heart of the judgment. If these findings are erased, the ruling becomes an empty shell, ” Dr Jeffrey pointed out.
He added that Sabah will be forced into another round of polite discussions while Putrajaya decides what it feels like giving.
This is not what the Constitution says. This is not what the High Court ordered.
The court did not ask for negotiation. It ordered implementation. It ruled that the Federal Government’s failure to return Sabah’s 40 percent was unlawful and Sabah’s rights were violated since 1974.
To appeal this part is to challenge the truth that every Sabahan has lived with for half a century.
The Prime Minister now says that the court’s reasoning is “incorrect” because it implies that past Federal leaders acted unlawfully.
He is concerned about their reputations. Sabah is concerned about our constitutional rights. We cannot be expected to apologise for wanting what is ours.
Sabah has already provided the figures. The Federal Government derived more than RM50 billion from Sabah every year since 2023. The claim that Sabah “received more than it gave” was already exposed as misleading.
Now, instead of honouring the ruling, Putrajaya wants to soften the language, rewrite the record and weaken Sabah’s legal position before negotiations even begin.
Dr Jeffrey said Sabahans are not blind. The pattern is clear. Delay. Deflect. Dilute.
This is exactly why Sabah must have a strong State Government that is not controlled by Federal interests. A government tied to PH, BN or their partners in GRS cannot defend Sabah at the negotiating table. It cannot speak freely nor can it challenge its own paymaster.
If Sabah wants justice in this process, Sabah must vote one hundred percent local. Only a State Government with no Federal chains can negotiate from strength. Only a fully local government can stand firm on our rights without fear.
“Sabah’s 40 percent is not a political favour or a bargaining chip.”
It is written in the Constitution and the Federal Government must obey the judgment, not negotiate it down.
“Sabah will not accept any attempt to rewrite history or reduce our entitlement through backdoor appeals.
We stand firm. We stand united. And we expect the Federal Government to honour the law without excuses, ” Dr Jeffrey said.
