Premier Abang Johari wants 70pct of carbon tax revenue returned to Sabah, Sarawak

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, June 28: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has proposed that 70 per cent of any carbon tax collected by the federal government be returned to Sabah and Sarawak.

He said the proposal reflects the critical role Sabah and Sarawak play in absorbing and storing carbon through their vast forest reserves, making them indispensable to the country’s climate commitments.

He revealed that he had raised the matter with the federal government as well as Sabah leaders ahead of the implementation of a national carbon tax.

“I said before you implement your carbon tax, you have to consider the component of the tax that should be given to Sabah and Sarawak because we are the storage area of carbon.

“If there is a carbon tax of X dollars, 70 per cent of that tax must come back to Sabah and Sarawak because we are the custodian of carbon. We are also producing oxygen through the process of photosynthesis,” he said when speaking at the 17th Joint DCCI–KCCI Gawai Kaamatan Celebration 2026 gala dinner held at Unifor Complex here tonight.

Abang Johari said Sarawak had recognised the importance of climate action early by enacting its own law governing greenhouse gas emissions two years before similar federal legislation was introduced.

He said any national carbon policy must acknowledge the crucial role of Sabah and Sarawak, which together hold most of Malaysia’s remaining forests capable of absorbing and storing carbon.

“Because of that, the law must recognise that Malaysia’s carbon policy depends on Sabah and Sarawak. The law has to be fair,” he said. — DayakDaily

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