See Chee How of Parti Sarawak Bersatu said the RM4.6 billion for Sarawak’s development expenditure was a farce in light of a recent prediction from the state cabinet that the funding would greatly increase.

The Batu Lintang assemblyman told FMT he expected expressions of disappointment from many state ministers and GPS leaders in the coming days.

“However, they will once again conveniently ignore the fact that GPS has four federal ministers, six deputy ministers and 19 MPs, all of whom support the Umno-led federal government,” he said.

“The bigger concern for all Sarawakians is the failure of the state government and the GPS MPs to champion Sarawak’s cause and the aspiration of Sarawakians.”

He said Sabah and Sarawak had given disproportionately large contributions to Malaysia, making it reasonable for the two states to expect greater funding than had been allocated in the budget.

The budget for Sabah is RM5.2 billion.

See also said the East Malaysian states should be accorded their rights and special privileges under the 1963 Malaysian Agreement to ensure an “honest and sustaining working relationship” within the federation.

Sarawak political activist Francis Paul Siah described the RM4.6 billion allocation as “way out of line” in relation to Sarawak’s size as the largest territory in Malaysia.

Siah, who heads Movement for Change Sarawak, said Sarawakians had been shortchanged by both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional.