AGC appeal on Sabah revenue ruling could threaten national unity, says ex-rep

AGC appeal on Sabah revenue ruling could threaten national unity, says ex-rep

PETALING JAYA: A federal appeal against the recent court ruling on Sabah’s 40% revenue claim could threaten national unity and see voters punish peninsula-based parties, warns former Petagas assemblyman James Ligunjang.

Lingunjang said many Sabahans would view any move by the Attorney-General’s Chambers in Putrajaya to challenge the ruling as a violation of the Federal Constitution, fueling feelings of injustice and betrayal among Sabahans.

He added that Sabahans may see it as an assault on their autonomy and resource control, contrary to federalist principles.

“This situation could lead to a significant shift in voting patterns, with voters turning away from peninsula-based parties and rallying behind local leaders who champion Sabah’s sovereignty and resource rights.

“Any attempt to overturn or weaken this decision may not only affect peninsula-based political parties operating in Sabah but could also endanger the unity of the Malaysian federation,” he said in a Facebook post today.

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Lingunjang added that the outcome could shape Sabah’s political dynamics for years to come.

The Kota Kinabalu High Court recently ruled that the federal government acted unlawfully by failing to honour Sabah’s 40% share of net federal revenue from the state for nearly five decades.

The decision came on an application for a judicial review filed by the Sabah Law Society in 2022. The society contended that the federal government had breached the Federal Constitution by failing to conduct a mandatory revenue review every five years since 1974.

Ligunjang said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led government under chief minister Hajiji Noor has vowed to defend the state’s rights and may invoke Article 112D(6) of the Federal Constitution if talks with the federal government fail.

As such, he warned that an appeal would undermine the goodwill between the state and federal governments, and urged Putrajaya to respect the ruling.

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“For decades, Sabahans have endured injustice through the denial or delay of their entitlements. Denying justice today is effectively denying justice altogether,” Lingunjang said.