KOTA KINABALU: Sabah extends gratitude to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the interim payment of RM300 million for the state.
State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said Sabah had received the payment on Nov 28, 2023.
"Although we are not satisfied and will continue to fight for it, but for Sabah people…we would like to thank the right honourable Prime Minister for the interim payment.
"We are confident that the unity government and Sabah government, can one day in near future, reach consensus on 40 per cent (special grant to Sabah)
"There is also no need for us to formulate a new formula as it has (been) clearly stated in the Federal Constitution," he said during his winding-up speech for state 2024 Budget at the state assembly sitting.
Commenting on the budget's higher expenditure on allocation instead of development, Masidi said several previous governments had examined and attempted to implement a Development Biased Budget.
"However, due to overall financial constraints at the state level, the State Government is unable to balance or contribute more to the Development Fund than the Unified Revenue Account."
Meanwhile, the state assembly sitting has passed the Supply (2024) Enactment 2023 which a sum of not exceeding RM5,463,134, 823 for ordinary expenditure out of the consolidated fund for the service of the year 2024.
