KOTA KINABALU (June 2): Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) leaders have welcomed the increase in Sabah’s interim special grant from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion, describing it as evidence that the state government’s negotiation-based approach with the federal government is yielding positive results.
Gagasan Rakyat Information Chief Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, its Women’s Movement Chief Datuk Redonah Bahanda, and the movement’s Information Chief Senator Datuk Anna Bell Perian said the increase reflects both the federal government’s commitment to addressing Sabah’s financial rights and the effectiveness of the state government’s continuous engagement with Putrajaya.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the state level Pesta Kaamatan celebration here on May 30, announced the increase in the interim payment pending the finalisation of Sabah’s entitlement to 40 per cent of the Federation’s net revenue under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Nizam said the development vindicates the approach adopted by Chief Minister Datuk Seri PanglimaHajiji Noor and the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration, which has prioritised negotiations and constructive federal-state relations in pursuing Sabah’s rights.
Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan
“The increase in the interim payment proves that the path of negotiation chosen by GRS is not a sign of weakness, but a path that delivers results. This is the kind of mature politics Sabah needs, politics that is not merely vocal, but effective,” he said.
He added that the latest increase demonstrates that Sabah’s demands continue to be heard and translated into greater financial commitments by the federal government.
According to Nizam, the complex legal, fiscal and administrative issues surrounding the implementation of Sabah’s rights under MA63 require patience and careful negotiations rather than confrontation.
“Negotiations require patience, diligence and mutual respect. We cannot choose a path that merely inflames public sentiment but ultimately fails to deliver concrete benefits for Sabah,” he said.
Redonah echoed the sentiment, describing the increase as a positive development that reflects the federal government’s commitment to upholding the spirit of MA63 while strengthening Sabah’s financial position.
She said the additional allocation is expected to accelerate development projects and welfare initiatives, particularly in critical sectors such as water supply, basic infrastructure, education, healthcare and rural development.
Datuk Redonah Bahanda
“The increase is a positive development that reflects the federal government’s commitment to upholding the spirit of MA63 while strengthening Sabah’s financial position to continue its development agenda,” she said.
At the same time, both Redonah and Anna Bell stressed that the interim payment should not be viewed as a replacement for Sabah’s constitutional entitlement to 40 per cent of the net revenue.
“While we welcome the increase in the interim payment, we wish to emphasise that it is not a substitute for Sabah’s constitutional rights. The struggle for the full implementation of the 40 per cent entitlement must continue,” Redonah said.
Senator Datuk Anna Bell Perian
Anna Bell said the increase to RM1.5 billion was the result of a consistent, prudent and fact-based negotiation strategy pursued by the state government under Hajiji’s leadership.
She noted that Sabah’s interim special grant had increased significantly in recent years, from about RM26.7 million annually for decades to RM125.6 million in 2022, RM300 million in 2023 and 2024, RM600 million in 2025, and now RM1.5 billion in 2026.
“The fact that the payments have increased progressively over the years shows that continuous negotiations are capable of producing significant results. Nevertheless, the struggle is far from over because our main focus remains the full implementation of Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement,” she said.
