KUCHING: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap has welcomed the unveiling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) but raised serious concerns over what he described as its continued structural inequities in addressing Sarawak’s development needs.
Yap said the current one-size-fits-all approach to funding remains fundamentally flawed and does not reflect Sarawak’s geographic and socioeconomic realities.
“Despite assurances that Sarawak will receive above average allocations, the continued reliance on a per capita funding formula is outdated and inherently unfair,” he said in a statement today.
He stressed that Sarawak’s vast landmass, which covers 37.6 per cent of the country, makes it especially costly to develop, with infrastructure projects in rural and interior areas requiring far more resources due to terrain, logistics and climate.
“A kilometre of road in Sarawak costs exponentially more to construct and maintain than in Peninsular Malaysia,” Yap pointed out.
He noted that the current federal funding model fails to account for major challenges unique to Sarawak, including massive infrastructure deficits in basic amenities, higher construction costs due to remote locations, and decades of historical underdevelopment under federal oversight.
Yap called for a new formula that is based on need and adjusted for landmass and development gaps rather than population size alone.
“Instead of population-based allocations, a need-based and landmass-adjusted formula that ensures Sarawak receives funding proportionate to its geographical size, development gaps and economic contributions, would be more appropriate,” he said.
He also highlighted that Sarawak has significantly contributed to Malaysia’s national growth through its oil and gas resources, but the state has not received fair returns.
“While billions have flowed into federal coffers, many Sarawakian communities still lack basic infrastructure that should have been resolved decades ago,” Yap said.
Citing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the 18-Point Agreement, he emphasised that these were legally binding commitments that should guarantee Sarawak greater autonomy over its resources, finances and governance.
“These are legally binding promises, not privileges,” he stressed.
Yap further criticised the centralised nature of federal decision-making, saying projects are still being designed in Putrajaya with minimal input from Sarawak.
“True progress requires a clear roadmap for devolution of power in education, healthcare and infrastructure, statutory guarantees for need-based funding and transparent project implementation with direct Sarawakian oversight,” he said.
He urged Sarawak leaders to remain united in the fight for fair funding formulas and full implementation of MA63 rather than accepting piecemeal concessions.
