Kota kinabalu: The Federal Government's decision not to appeal the High Court ruling on Sabah's 40 per cent special grant entitlement has been praised as a significant move anticipated by the people of the state, according to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language Learning senior lecturer, Assoc Prof Dr. Romzi Ationg.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, this decision demonstrates the government's commitment to upholding the Federal Constitution and respecting Sabah's rights as outlined in the Malaysia Agreement. Dr. Romzi emphasized the importance of such a decision, noting it as a constitutional matter that has long been awaited by the people of Sabah.
Dr. Romzi further commented on the nationwide interest in the decision, stating it could enhance public confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's administration by showing a firm stance on constitutional justice.
Universiti Teknologi MARA's Sabah Campus Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies senior lecturer, Tony Paridi Bagang, also welcomed the decision, noting it alleviated concerns among Sabahans. He highlighted that the Federal Government's commitment dispelled recent speculation stirring sentiments, though he mentioned the Attorney-General's Chambers had indicated potential for further review due to identified judicial reasoning flaws.
The Kota Kinabalu High Court previously ruled on October 17 last year that the Federal Government acted unlawfully by not fulfilling Sabah's right to 40 per cent of federal revenue for 1974 to 2021.
Sabah's Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Cabinet, stating the decision reinforced Sabah's constitutional entitlement to the special grant, aligned with the hopes and aspirations of Sabahans.
The Attorney-General's Chambers announced that a Special Cabinet Meeting decided against appealing the court's decision, emphasizing a commitment to the special grant principle. The government plans to initiate negotiations with the Sabah Government while addressing identified issues in the judicial reasoning regarding constitutional breaches since 1974.