Grassroots governance in Sabah – an illusion?
Published on: Mon, Jul 21, 2025
By: Anita Limjoon, Paul Canigea P, Fiona V Loijon Text Size: The State Government provided RM277 million to JKKKs in the year 2024, but this money decreased to RM247 million in 2025, and JKDM frameworks are generally lacking clearly defined budgetary allowances or operational policies. SABAH rural society is under-developed to such degree that it does not serve real needs and wishes of the people. Though administration units at the village level like the Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) have been initiated to act as a medium between the citizenry and the State agencies, the voices of the local citizens are often pushed to the margins throughout the formulation processes both at the state and national levels.
Advertisement Originally, these committees were intended to translate local concerns into the policy process, but they often work under very harsh conditions, including limited funding, training, independence, and ultimately reducing their capabilities and compromising community trust in their efficiency. Overlapping of mandate between the traditional JKKK and the new federal-level institutions, especially the Jawatankuasa Desa Madani (JKDM), also complicates the issues facing village development. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article.
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