Ongkili’s assurance comes after a thinly-veiled dig by Jeffrey Kitingan, the deputy chief minister and STAR president, at Putrajaya over long-overdue payments of grants constitutionally guaranteed to both states.

Ongkili, who is also Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president, said all efforts on monetary obligations under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) are moving according to plan, and are being done by the special council on MA63 (MKMA63).

He said both the Sabah and Sarawak state governments have agreed to the formation of the joint consultative review committee.

It will focus on reviewing the special grants, including the 40% reimbursable provision for Sabah, as stipulated under Article 112 (D) of the Federal Constitution.

“I have had several meetings with the finance minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz on the matter and we have agreed on terms of reference including the list of members,” he said, in a statement here today.

Sabah finance minister II Masidi Manjun will be heading the Sabah team, which also includes state secretary Safar Untong, Sabah attorney-general (AG) Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof and permanent secretary to the state finance ministry, Rusdin Riman as members.

The Sarawak team will be headed by its deputy chief minister Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, Sarawak AG Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid and Sarawak finance secretary Amar Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman as members.

Zafrul’s team will include several top officials from his office.

Kitingan had said yesterday the federal government’s obligations towards Sabah and Sarawak are just not limited to maintaining diplomatic ties and security, but to also ensure the Bornean states are financially capable of running their respective regions.

He added that if the federal government met its monetary obligations, both states would be able solve their own respective financial problems and carry out more development.

According to Ongkili, the committee will be tasked, among others, to review the legal provisions with regards to financial matters stipulated under the Federal Constitution and the MA63.

Besides that, it will also scrutinise the calculations and payments of the annual grant, and other grants, as enshrined under the MA63, including the previous payouts.

The committee is expected to meet immediately after the MKMA63 meeting on April 13, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Ongkili will be chairing the joint consultative review committee meeting on behalf of the MKMA63, and submit resolutions for decision to the council.