KOTA KINABALU, Sept 17 — Although grateful for the increased sum from the federal government, Sabah does not want to keep receiving interim payments when there is a constitutional entitlement at stake.

Deputy chief minister Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan said that the RM600 million payment was an increase compared to previous amounts of RM26.7 million to RM125.6 million in 2022 and RM300 million last year.

"But we do not want to continue receiving interim payments. We want to have the 40 per cent finalised,” he said.

Kitingan also noted that the 40 per cent constitutional entitlement was not on the agenda during the recent Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) implementation action council meeting on September 12.

"It wasn’t on the agenda. I wanted to raise it but I was told to be patient. Other topics were included on the agenda,” he said.

"We will keep pushing for the resolution of the 40 per cent because it is our right and it is in the Constitution. It is one of the basic conditions in forming Malaysia. I am hopeful and confident that the Madani government will address and resolve it,” he said.

During the meeting last Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Fadillah Yusof stated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced the doubling of payments for Sabah and Sarawak starting next year, as negotiations on the contentious issue continue.

Fadillah mentioned that some issues could not be discussed openly and would require a more private meeting between the Prime Minister and the chief minister and premier of Sabah and Sarawak respectively.

Article 112D of the Federal Constitution stipulates that Sabah is entitled to receive 40 per cent of the revenue derived from the state by the federal government.

However, this payment has been neglected since 1974.