Sabah’s status must be restored – Shafie

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said Sabah has been looking forward to the restoration of status as equal partner and this must be realised.

“This is something we have been looking forward to. This is the first time it has been said in a speech delivered by the prime minister. This is something we need to realise,” he said.

“If it’s due to us under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, let it be us managing it. That is the pillar of what has been agreed upon,” he said after receiving a courtesy visit from Federal Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad at Sri Gaya, the official residence of the Sabah Chief Minister, here yesterday.

During the Malaysia Day celebration here on Sunday, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that the Pakatan Harapan government would restore Sabah and Sarawak’s status as equal partners.

Shafie also reiterated the state government’s demand for 20 per cent oil royalty. This 20 per cent would make more than four million people in both states happy.

The Chief Minister said he understood the constraints in regards to Petronas’ financial standing, but said the added 15 per cent from five to 20 per cent oil royalty would go a long way to bridge the socio economic gap between east and West Malaysia.

Shafie said he had made his stand clear to the prime minister but understood that they needed to give the relevant people time to iron out the details.

“He said it’s not easy with the problems that Petronas will face, but I believe it’s alright,” he said.

The Prime Minister yesterday said it was necessary to relook at the five per cent rate which has not been changed since the 1970s, but the increase cannot be at the expense of Petronas’ operations.

Meanwhile, Shafie said health facilities in Sabah can be managed well with the cooperation of the state and federal governments.

He said with the presence of the Health Ministry at the state level, the state government can monitor projects for the development of health facilities.

“The collaboration between the federal and state government must be well well-coordinated. We must undertake whatever opportunities there are,” he said.

In the meeting with Dr Dzulkefly, Shafie was informed that in terms of good health facilities and education, Sabah was behind the other states.

Also present at the meeting was Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wong Tien Fatt.

Earlier, Shafie received the visit of Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who said Sabah and Sarawak had the right to be partners and the federal government could fulfil the objective of providing fair development to the whole country.