Wilfred Yap Welcomes Federal Move on Sabah’s 40% Revenue, Calls for Sarawak’s Fair Share

suppadmin | November 12, 2025

Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision not to appeal the High Court ruling affirming Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of the net revenue collected by the Federal Government from the state.

He described the move as a historic recognition of East Malaysia’s fiscal and constitutional rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“By choosing not to appeal, the Federal Government is finally recognising that the fiscal provisions guaranteed under MA63 and the Federal Constitution are not optional or symbolic but binding obligations,” Yap said in a statement today.

He said the decision marks a victory not only for Sabah but for all East Malaysians, including Sarawak, who have long been calling for fairness and respect for constitutional rights.

Citing Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution, Yap noted that the Federal Government is duty-bound to provide annual “special grants” to both Sabah and Sarawak and to review them periodically.

“Just as the High Court found that the Federal Government failed to review Sabah’s entitlement since 1974, the same can be said for Sarawak. For far too long, Sarawak’s special grant has remained static and outdated, despite our state being a major contributor to the nation’s wealth through oil, gas, and natural resources,” he said.

With the High Court’s ruling left unchallenged, Yap said it sets a legal precedent that fiscal entitlements under MA63 are enforceable rights, not political discretion.

He urged both the Sarawak and Federal Governments to immediately initiate a comprehensive review of Sarawak’s fiscal entitlements, taking into account the state’s contribution to national revenue and the need to close rural development gaps.

“Sarawak’s demand for fiscal justice is not about taking more than our fair share but about reclaiming what is rightfully ours under the Constitution and MA63,” Yap stressed.

He added that revenue collected from Sarawak should be returned fairly to benefit the people through better healthcare, education, infrastructure, and livelihoods.

Yap also commended the Federal Government’s acceptance of the High Court decision as a mature and constructive step toward fulfilling the true spirit of MA63.

“This decision reinforces the principle that Malaysia was formed as a partnership of equal regions – Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak – bound by constitutional guarantees that must be honoured,” he said.

“If Putrajaya now acknowledges Sabah’s 40 per cent right, it must also recognise Sarawak’s entitlement to a fair and proportionate return.”

Yap further called for greater transparency in how federal revenue is calculated and distributed, saying that Sarawakians deserve to know how much of what they contribute comes back to the state.

“The Federal Government has shown its willingness to comply with the Constitution. Now it is up to us, as Sarawakians, to make sure our own fiscal rights are fully realised,” he added.