KOTA KINABALU: Development allocation and constitutional revenue rights are not the same thing, says Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Deputy Chief Minister of Sabah.
"The fact is that 40 per cent (entitled revenue rights) is different from the development allocation.
"Even on allocating the development budget, (the federal government) needs to look at the three regions whereby Sabah is bigger than peninsula Malaysia.
"Every year when I look at the development budget, over 87 to 90 per cent allocation is for peninsular Malaysia, but only about 12 to 13 per cent combined for Sabah and Sarawak.
"We have no development as compared to peninsular Malaysia although we have more potential to be developed as peninsular Malaysia is almost at the peak," he said after launching the Zone 2 Jelajah Wanita GRS launching at Kian Kok Middle School here.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had asked Sabah people to be thankful that the state received more development allocation of RM6.6 billion.
Jeffrey, who is also Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president, added that Putrajaya should not mix up the development allocation with the constitutional rights on revenue.
"Revenue rights are very basic and should not even be negotiated. This is a constitutional right, we must claim and not negotiate.
"As to how much to pay, it depends on two things including the financial position of the federal government and the state financial needs which are very critical where our infrastructure is way behind, water and electricity problem… and how to develop our padi fields if there is no money and machinery?
"We are not taking the federal government's money or that of any other states, it is our money, they just have to return based on the formula," he said, adding the state would accept the interim payment of RM300 million but hoped to resolve the issue in a year's time.
Meanwhile, United Sabah National Organisation president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin said during his 10-year tenure as Dewan Rakyat Speaker, there were lawmakers who did not know nor understand about the documents and matters related to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
"With due respect to some of them, they did not know the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC), Cobbold Commission, nor the process of formation of Malaysia… that is why they don't understand our requests.
"When we made the requests, some of them looked at us in amazement. If they understand that (documents and processes), they will respect our opinion."
Present was GRS women chief Datuk Azizah Dun.