PKR deputy president hopeful Rafizi Ramli capped his tour in Sabah yesterday with a promise that he will work towards ensuring the state receives a third of the nation's resources.

"Sabah is one of three territories that formed Malaysia... Certainly, Sabah cannot be treated as just one of the 14 states.

"In terms of distribution (of resources), a third should go to Sabah, not one out of 14," he said during a dialogue session and fundraising dinner in Kota Kinabalu last night.

This was met with cries of "betul" (that's right) from the floor.

He was responding to a question from the floor on whether there should be multiple deputy prime ministers, one of which should be reserved for Sabah.

Rafizi said positions were not as important as a mindset change among Malaysians in the peninsular on Sabah's status.

"What I'm afraid of is... if so and so is made deputy prime minister, the federal funding will still not reach Sabah.

"The deputy prime minister will become rich, not the people of Sabah," he said.

Rafizi added that his responsibility was to educate the public in peninsular Malaysia that Sabah was one of three territories that had formed Malaysia.

"In terms of resources, schools, assistance and power, these must be restored to match (Sabah's) status.

"When this is achieved, when the Semenanjung people accept it and people from Sabah and Sarawak can see (the changes) for themselves, I don't see a problem with the prime minister bringing on a deputy from Sabah.

"When the eighth prime minister Anwar Ibrahim (is installed), (remember that) Sabah has the second highest number of PKR members.

"Sabah will be prioritised and Anwar will give his attention towards restoring Sabah's status as one out of three components (that had formed) Malaysia," he said.

Rafizi and his team were touring Tawau, Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu over the weekend.

Among those who spoke at the Kota Kinabalu event were S Streram, Syed Badli Shah Syed Osman, Christina Liew, William Leong, Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, Johari Abdul, Fuziah Salleh, Raymond Ahuar and S Kesavan.