KUALA LUMPUR: Senator Dato’ Ahmad Ibrahim has called on the Federal Government to promptly reimburse the Sarawak Government for expenses incurred in funding projects that constitutionally fall under federal responsibility.

Speaking during the debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in the Senate on Tuesday, he said the State had stepped in to finance projects such as the construction of roads, healthcare centres, bridges and school repairs, works that should be borne by Putrajaya.

“The Sarawak Government has acted as the immediate rescuer for the people. But as an equal partner in Malaysia, we demand that these funds be returned in an orderly and transparent manner, with a clear timeframe,” he said.

Dato’ Ahmad expressed concern over the lack of clarity on repayment timelines, warning that prolonged uncertainty risks undermining Sarawak’s fiscal discipline.

“To this day, we do not know when these reimbursements will be made. Will it be in one year, five years, ten years—or perhaps never at all? This uncertainty burdens Sarawak’s financial planning and erodes the reserves we have built with great discipline,” he queried.

He added that with Sarawak receiving a limited allocation under the 13MP, reimbursement of these advances is now more pressing than ever.

“The people of Sarawak deserve fair treatment, not only in terms of new development allocations but also in the reimbursement of funds already advanced by the State,” he stressed. -UKASnews