Hajiji hits back: Sabah CM insists he’s ‘never afraid’ in 40pc revenue talks

“KOTA KINABALU, April 30 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor pushed back against assumptions that he was not assertive in pursuing Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement, insisting he has “never been afraid” in negotiations with Putrajaya. Rejecting a move by Kepayan assemblyman Chin Tek Ming for a special motion, Hajiji said that he was not afraid to negotiate with Putrajaya for Sabah’s constitutional right to 40 per cent of federal revenue derived from the state. The chief minister dismissed claims that the state leadership was not pushing hard enough on the long-standing demand, describing such assertions as politically motivated. “I think this is a political move, they assume we are not fully pushing for it,” he said during a heated exchange in the State Legislative Assembly between Chin and speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya. “Sometimes they make it seem as if the state government, particularly I, am not pushing for it. They think I’m afraid. I’m not afraid. I’ve never felt undermined in those meetings,” he said. Hajiji stressed that negotiations with the federal government have been conducted without pressure, including discussions with the prime minister. “To be honest with you, the federal government or the prime minister, has never pressured me or the state government. When we talk about the 40 per cent, it’s not just us — all Sabahans are fully supportive. Don’t use this as a political game,” he said. His remarks came in response to concerns raised by Chin who questioned the lack of updates on negotiations and called for greater transparency, including a formal mandate from the assembly through a special motion on the issue. “We do not know anything, no update. We do not know what is happening during meetings,” Chin said, urging the House to unite for a stronger and more visible stance. However, Hajiji maintained that broad consensus within the assembly was already clear and sufficient. “It is enough for everyone that everyone in this House supports it,” he said, adding that the state government has gone further by engaging King’s Counsel to strengthen Sabah’s legal position in its claim. “That’s the issue. If we really think we are going to get it, why the need to engage King’s Counsel?” he said. The exchange prompted intervention from the Speaker, who questioned what additional action the assembly could realistically take, noting that support for Sabah’s 40 per cent entitlement was already unanimous. Assistant minister to the chief minister had the last word Datuk Joniston Bangkuai also weighed in, warning against attempts to portray the government as insincere. “It’s clear everyone is supportive. What is the intention of giving the impression that we don’t support it? It seems malicious. It is loud and clear that we want the 40 per cent. Please don’t doubt our sincerity in getting it,” he said. The exchange came at the end of a four-day session which covered debates and four bills passed today. Kadzim did not accommodate Chin’s request and officially ended the sitting shortly after. Sabah’s constitutional claim under Articles 112C and 112D has long been a contentious issue, with both sides of the aisle publicly affirming support for securing the state’s full entitlement.

Summary generated from the RSS feed of Malay Mail Education. All article rights belong to the original publisher. Click through to read the full piece on www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia.