KOTA KINABALU, Oct. 17 -- The Sabah Law Society (SLS) has urged the federal government not to appeal the High Court's landmark decision affirming Sabah's constitutional right to 40 per cent of federal revenue collected from the state, calling the ruling "justice at last" after decades of neglect.

In a judgment today, the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak ruled that the 40 per cent special grant owed to Sabah under the Federal Constitution is a mandatory constitutional right, not a privilege subject to negotiation.

Justice Datuk Celestina Stuel Galid ordered the Federal and Sabah governments to conduct a fresh review within 90 days and reach a settlement on the amount owed within 180 days.

The court also formally recognised that arrears a...