Latest news with #SallehSaidKeruak
Free Malaysia Today
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah's always had federal, state alliance, says Salleh
Former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak said collaboration between state and federal governments is not just an option, it is a necessity. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The debate over whether Sabah's development would be better under local parties or national parties should not arise, says its former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak. He said this is because the Sabah government has almost always been aligned with the federal government. 'Since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Sabah's state government has almost always been aligned with the federal government, either through national coalitions like Perikatan (Alliance) and Barisan Nasional (BN), or through direct political cooperation. 'Usno, which led Sabah from 1963 to 1975, then Berjaya, from 1976 to 1985, were local parties, but they were always part of Perikatan (Alliance) and later BN,' he said in a Facebook post. He added that when Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) defeated Berjaya in the state polls in 1985, they too joined BN to ensure the federal and state alliance continued for the good of the people. 'But in 1990, PBS left BN and aligned itself with the opposition coalition Gagasan Rakyat,' he said referring to the federal opposition coalition led by Semangat 46 under Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. 'This marked a rare period when Sabah was not aligned with the federal government, but it was shortlived and politically tense.' Salleh, who is also Sabah Umno treasurer, said with Umno's entry into Sabah in the early 90s, BN returned to power in 1994 and maintained their grip on the state until the 2018 general election (GE14) but the state benefited during those 24 years. 'When Sabah was under BN, many major development projects were carried out through close collaboration with the federal government,' he said. He added that this continued after GE14, because with BN losing power in Sabah and Putrajaya, Pakatan Harapan helped Warisan to lead the new state administration. 'Though Warisan was a local party, it worked closely with the federal leadership under prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad,' he said. 'This continued following the 2020 state election won by the new coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), comprising Bersatu, PBS, STAR, and SAPP.' He added that BN, which was part of the new Perikatan Nasional-led federal government since March 2020, decided to cooperate with GRS to form the state government. 'This again reflected a willingness to align with the federal government for stability,' Salleh said. 'Collaboration between state and federal levels is not just an option, it is a necessity. What truly matters is effective leadership, political stability, and the ability to work together.'
The Star
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sabah's 20% oil royalty request still stands, says former CM Salleh
KOTA KINABALU: The call for a 20% oil royalty for Sabah should not be forgotten in discussions on the state's constitutional right to 40% net revenue return, says former chief minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak. Salleh said the demand for higher oil royalty, once a unifying call among Sabahans, is more straightforward than the complex debate over the 40% revenue entitlement under the Federal Constitution. ALSO READ: Fulfil MA63 vows, Pakatan told 'While the current focus has shifted to the 40% net revenue return, the reality is that its implementation remains unclear and continues to be debated from various legal and technical standpoints,' he said in a statement on Friday (May 23). In contrast, Salleh said the 20% oil royalty request requires no complicated legal interpretation, only mutual political will and understanding between the state and Putrajaya. ALSO READ: Sabah to continue pursuit of 20% oil royalty, but 'as a family' and 'team' He acknowledged recent efforts to involve Sabah in downstream oil and gas activities as a step in the right direction for industrial participation and local empowerment. However, he cautioned that such economic involvement should not be mistaken for a substitute for the rightful claim to oil royalty. 'Royalty is not just about economic collaboration. It is about direct revenue from resource extraction. It is a matter of entitlement,' he said. ALSO READ: Sabah may never get 20% oil royalty, but there are other ways to get what is owed to the state, says Bung Moktar Salleh also stressed that the original demand for 20% oil royalty is neither outdated nor irrelevant. 'As we explore the constitutional entitlement to 40% (net revenue return), we must not forget the original voice of the people. The call for oil royalty still stands as a just and rightful claim,' he added.
Daily Express
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Sabah's 20% oil royalty demand still relevant, says ex-Chief Minister
Published on: Friday, May 23, 2025 Published on: Fri, May 23, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak said Sabah's call for a 20% oil royalty from Petronas should not be buried by talks on the 40% revenue return from Putrajaya. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: Sabah's long-standing demand for a 20% oil royalty from Petronas should not be sidelined by moves to involve the state in downstream oil and gas activities, says former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak. Welcoming efforts to involve Sabah in downstream sectors such as petrochemical processing and refining, Salleh said such moves were a step toward local empowerment but must not be seen as a replacement for direct revenue entitlements. 'Royalty refers to direct revenue from resource extraction – a matter of entitlement, not merely economic collaboration,' he said in a statement today. Sabah currently receives a 5% royalty from Petronas under a 1976 agreement, but the state has consistently argued this is insufficient, given its role as a major contributor to the country's oil and gas output. The call for a 20% royalty was a key campaign promise of Pakatan Harapan in 2018, but was not implemented during its time in federal power. The Usukan assemblyman also said that while discussions on the 40% revenue return from Putrajaya should continue, they must not overshadow the original and still relevant demand for the 20% royalty. Advertisement Salleh said the push for higher oil royalties once united Sabahans in their demand for a fairer share of the state's natural wealth and remains a 'just and relevant' aspiration today. At the same time, he acknowledged the shift in focus to Sabah's constitutional right to receive 40% of net federal revenue collected from the state, as stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). 'However, the reality is that its implementation remains unclear and is often debated from various legal and technical perspectives. 'In comparison, the oil royalty demand is more straightforward. It does not require complex interpretations – just mutual political will and understanding between the state and federal governments,' he said. Sabah politicians have repeatedly urged Putrajaya to honour the 40% revenue-sharing formula enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Use of the formula has been suspended since 1974, with the federal government paying increased special grants to Sabah and Sarawak. Meanwhile, the Sabah Law Society has been granted leave to pursue a judicial review of the state's 40% revenue entitlement. The case is scheduled to be heard on July 7. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Free Malaysia Today
23-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah's 20% oil royalty demand still relevant, says ex-CM
Former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak said Sabah's call for a 20% oil royalty from Petronas should not be buried by talks on the 40% revenue return from Putrajaya. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Sabah's long-standing demand for a 20% oil royalty from Petronas should not be sidelined by moves to involve the state in downstream oil and gas activities, says former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak. Welcoming efforts to involve Sabah in downstream sectors such as petrochemical processing and refining, Salleh said such moves were a step toward local empowerment but must not be seen as a replacement for direct revenue entitlements. 'Royalty refers to direct revenue from resource extraction – a matter of entitlement, not merely economic collaboration,' he said in a statement today. Sabah currently receives a 5% royalty from Petronas under a 1976 agreement, but the state has consistently argued this is insufficient, given its role as a major contributor to the country's oil and gas output. The call for a 20% royalty was a key campaign promise of Pakatan Harapan in 2018, but was not implemented during its time in federal power. The Usukan assemblyman also said that while discussions on the 40% revenue return from Putrajaya should continue, they must not overshadow the original and still relevant demand for the 20% royalty. Salleh said the push for higher oil royalties once united Sabahans in their demand for a fairer share of the state's natural wealth and remains a 'just and relevant' aspiration today. At the same time, he acknowledged the shift in focus to Sabah's constitutional right to receive 40% of net federal revenue collected from the state, as stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). 'However, the reality is that its implementation remains unclear and is often debated from various legal and technical perspectives. 'In comparison, the oil royalty demand is more straightforward. It does not require complex interpretations – just mutual political will and understanding between the state and federal governments,' he said. Sabah politicians have repeatedly urged Putrajaya to honour the 40% revenue-sharing formula enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Use of the formula has been suspended since 1974, with the federal government paying increased special grants to Sabah and Sarawak. Meanwhile, the Sabah Law Society has been granted leave to pursue a judicial review of the state's 40% revenue entitlement. The case is scheduled to be heard on July 7.
Daily Express
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Struggle for Sabah's rights is for all, not just local parties: Salleh
Published on: Friday, May 16, 2025 Published on: Fri, May 16, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: PETALING JAYA: The struggle for Sabah's rights is not a cause exclusive to any single party, Salleh Said Keruak ( pic ) said today following calls for the state government to be led by local parties. The former Sabah chief minister said there was an assumption that only local parties were entitled to speak on Sabah's rights. Advertisement 'In truth, this struggle belongs to all Sabahans,' he said, noting that Sabah-based parties such as Upko and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) had opted to work within national coalitions to ensure that Sabah's voice is better heard at the federal level. Salleh said this when officiating a Lahad Datu Umno meeting. He also said that political parties were merely platforms, irrespective of whether they were local or national. He said the more important matter was the sincerity and capability of leaders in bringing the issues affecting Sabahans to 'a higher level'. Advertisement 'What the people of Sabah want today is not about who is more 'Sabahan' or more 'local'. What truly matters is who is sincere, stable, and capable of fulfilling their promises,' he said. Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman Hajiji Noor said last Friday that the coalition would go solo in the state election if Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) had finalised their electoral pact. He said local Sabah parties should form the backbone of the state government and lead it. PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim however said he was optimistic that the three coalitions would be able to reach an agreement for the state election. Salleh said last Friday that BN and PH's pact for the Sabah election was a step towards ensuring political stability in the Bornean state, which he described as crucial. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
