Sabah Welcomes RM1.5 Billion Interim Payment, Hopes It Can Be Disbursed Immediately

KOTA KINABALU, May 31 (Bernama) -- The Sabah government welcomes the federal government’s announcement of a RM1.5 billion interim special grant for the state and hopes the allocation can be disbursed immediately for the benefit of the people.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday was greatly appreciated, particularly the Prime Minister’s commitment to continue respecting and implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

“This demonstrates that the federal government under the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a responsible administration that fulfils its promises,” he said in a statement today.

Hajiji said the assurance given by the Prime Minister during the opening of the 2026 state-level Kaamatan Festival reflected the federal government’s continued commitment to safeguarding Sabah’s constitutional rights.

He stressed that the state government remains committed to working closely with the federal government to ensure that all allocations and entitlements under MA63, particularly the 40 per cent special grant, are fully realised.

Yesterday, Anwar announced that Sabah’s interim special grant would be increased to RM1.5 billion this year, up from RM600 million previously.

The prime minister said the increase is an interim measure, while the mechanism to implement Sabah’s 40 per cent net revenue entitlement is being finalised through formal negotiations between the federal and state governments.

-- BERNAMA