Kuala Lumpur:The increase in interim special grants and development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak is expected to bolster development in both states, with Members of Parliament urging the finalisation of a special grant formula and improved project implementation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during a debate on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2027 at the policy stage in the Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Brodi (GPS-Sri Aman) highlighted the appreciation for the increased interim special grant from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion. However, she emphasized the need for the Federal Government to expedite a transparent, objective, and sustainable final formula under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution, in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Datuk Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar (BN-Kinabatangan) called on the government to clarify the status of negotiations on Sabah's right to receive 40 percent of the net revenue derived by the Federal Government from the state. He stressed the importance of this matter in terms of constitutional responsibility and fiscal relations between the Federal Government and the Sabah Government.
Datuk Wetrom Bahanda (KDM-Kota Marudu) suggested that unspent development allocations for Sabah be carried forward to the following year through the establishment of a Carry Forward Fund, ensuring continued utilization of approved allocations despite bureaucratic and technical delays. Wetrom pointed out that Sabah received an allocation of RM18.7 billion for 2027, an increase of RM1.1 billion from the previous year, and emphasized the necessity of full utilization for infrastructure development.
Echoing these concerns, Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (GRS-Tuaran) urged the Federal Government to put an end to the culture of announcing development projects that ultimately face delays and become "sick" projects. Madius called for full expenditure of Sabah's development allocations and transparency regarding the disbursement and spending of the 2026 development allocation. He proposed measures to address sick projects, including independent reviews and possible contract terminations for repeated delays, and recommended empowering Sabah JKR as the technical agency for federal projects valued at RM50 million and below.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting is set to continue tomorrow.