He said one of the two elements was the annual special grant due to Sabah amounting to 40% of the revenue collected by the federal government in the state.
The special grant was provided for under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution, which also stipulates that the amount was subject to the financial position of the federal government and the needs of the state.
The other was the power to regulate the production and distribution of electricity and gas in Sabah, said Teo, who was among state officials who met with Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.
He explained that the authority on electricity and gas was delegated to the Sabah and Sarawak governments since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
However, Teo said for Sabah this was taken back by the federal government in 1983 while Sarawak maintained its control.
Also at the meeting was Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, who heads the Sabah State Rights Committee. Anifah is also the brother of Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.
“We have asked for these two elements to be prioritised as they do not require any amendments to the Federal Constitution or any legislation,” Teo said following an event in which he handed more than 30 lion dance heads to troupes along Sabah’s west coast for Chinese New Year.
Teo also said both elements were among rights that the Sabah government had sought to be restored and were in a list submitted to Prime Minister Najib Razak in May last year.
Asked about the possibility of the federal government giving its answer before the coming elections, Teo said: “Hopefully.”