Putrajaya's record high collection of RM137 billion in direct taxes could be used to pay what is due to Sabah and Sarawak, Kimanis MP Anifah Aman said today.

The former Umno leader said in a statement that payments to the two East Malaysian states should be in line with what was promised under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

"I would like to congratulate the finance minister for the Pakatan Harapan government's success in collecting taxes worth RM137.035 billion.

"I'm sure the amount is sufficient to pay what is due to the Sabah and Sarawak governments based on what was agreed upon under the MA63.

"We, in Sabah and Sarawak, are still awaiting the results of the agreements made during the BN administration," he said.

Anifah was responding to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announcing last week that the Inland Revenue Board had made history by achieving the highest collection of direct taxes in 2018.

The collection, Lim noted, rose 11.13 percent from the previous year, and broke the best-performing direct tax collection record of RM133.7 billion in 2014.