KOTA KINABALU, Nov 7 — The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government has urged the Federal administration not to appeal against the High Court’s recent ruling affirming Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of Federal revenue collected from the state, calling it a matter of “constitutional honour” and not politics.
Following its Presidential Council meeting here today, GRS said that the judgment delivered on October 17 recognised what was already enshrined in the Federal Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This is not merely a legal matter — it is a question of constitutional honour,” the coalition said in a statement.
“The court has not imposed any financial penalty, only directed that the long-overdue constitutional review be carried out in accordance with Articles 112C and 112D. To appeal would be to oppose the process of negotiation itself, not the outcome,” they said in a statement today.
Late last month, the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruled that the Federal government must conduct a review within 90 days and reach a mutual agreement with the Sabah government within 180 days on the 40 per cent entitlement, confirming that Sabah’s claim is a constitutional right.
Most of Sabah’s political parties have since called on the Federal government not to appeal the decision as a matter of respect.
GRS said the 40 per cent entitlement is fundamental to Sabah’s inclusion in the Federation of Malaysia, and the decision should be seen as an opportunity to restore fairness after decades of underdevelopment in the state.
“For too long, ordinary Sabahans from Pitas to Pensiangan have lived with power cuts, unpaved roads and clinics without doctors — not for lack of effort, but because resources due to Sabah were not delivered in full,” it said.
Caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has since directed the state Ministry of Finance, the Sabah Economic Planning Unit and the state Attorney-General’s Chambers to study the judgment’s grounds and prepare for “meaningful engagement” with Putrajaya to finalise the long-delayed review.
GRS also reaffirmed its full support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, noting that the state administration would continue to work constructively with the federal government.
“Under Hajiji’s leadership, Sabah will maintain a respectful working relationship with Putrajaya. We take pride in the prime minister’s inclusive approach, which has delivered 13 of the 29 MA63 claims to Sabah,” it said.
The coalition said the court victory was not about money but about justice for every Sabahan who has waited “year after year” for basic infrastructure and fair treatment.
“Sabah’s claim is not a demand, but a right. It is a constitutional duty that transcends governments and political terms. Upholding it demonstrates that Malaysia is governed by law and good faith, not convenience,” GRS said.
The coalition called on the federal government to honour the judgment and begin “healing decades of neglect” felt by Sabahans.
“Let this be the moment the federal government keeps its promises. The prime minister will be remembered by all Sabahans and Malaysians as a leader who cares.”
