Kitingan, assemblyman for Bingkor, said the 40 per cent entitlement and other additional revenues assigned to Sabah were agreed at the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and entrenched in the Federal Constitution.

He said in a statement that the state government, especially Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders, should insist on federal compliance with constitutional guarantees and that 40 per cent of net revenue collected from Sabah was returned to the state.

The federal Budget for 2017 will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday. The state Budget will be tabled at the state assembly on Nov 18.

Kitingan, who is president of the STAR party, pointed out that national revenues from oil and gas would be higher in 2017 than this year, with the rise in crude oil prices to US$52 a barrel from last year’s projected US$30-$35 a barrel.

He said a failure by the federal government to comply with the revenue guarantee would further weaken the basis of Sabah remaining in the federation.