Sabah will progress 30 years ahead on its own — STAR

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanahairku (STAR) is taking strong exception to the statement by Umno information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa that Sabah would be set back 30 years if the Sabah for Sabahan policy is implemented.

In a statement, STAR deputy president Edward Linggu said that if Sabah is given the free reign to manage its own affairs, it would progress 30 years ahead of Malaya.

He said under the Barisan Nasional government, Sabah has been denied of its constitutional revenues ranging from 40% net revenue derived from Sabah, its 100% entitle of import and excise duties on petroleum products, 100% on timber exports and export duties on crude oil up to 10% ad valorem value of the exports.

For import and excise duties, he said Sabah is entitled to receive RM1.0 billion but given only RM120 million due to an old arrangement.

“Sabah is also entitled to export duties on crude oil of 10 percent ad valorem in lieu of royalties, the value of which is projected to reach RM26.3 billion for 2018. The share for Sabah would be RM2.63 billion,” said Linggu.

“In the 1960s, 1970s Sabah had its own new aircrafts and could even lend money to the federal government in 1972 to start the Malaysia Airline System (MAS) after it split from the Malaysia Singapore Airlines,” he added.

He said Sabah would definitely progress tremendously and not regress under an autonomous Sabah government.

“It is highly scandalous and false to say Sabah would regress 30 years on its own without BN,” he said.