Latest news with #SabahDevelopment
Free Malaysia Today
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah's always had federal, state alliance, says Salleh
Former Sabah chief minister Salleh Said Keruak said collaboration between state and federal governments is not just an option, it is a necessity. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The debate over whether Sabah's development would be better under local parties or national parties should not arise, says its former chief minister Salleh Said Keruak. He said this is because the Sabah government has almost always been aligned with the federal government. 'Since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Sabah's state government has almost always been aligned with the federal government, either through national coalitions like Perikatan (Alliance) and Barisan Nasional (BN), or through direct political cooperation. 'Usno, which led Sabah from 1963 to 1975, then Berjaya, from 1976 to 1985, were local parties, but they were always part of Perikatan (Alliance) and later BN,' he said in a Facebook post. He added that when Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) defeated Berjaya in the state polls in 1985, they too joined BN to ensure the federal and state alliance continued for the good of the people. 'But in 1990, PBS left BN and aligned itself with the opposition coalition Gagasan Rakyat,' he said referring to the federal opposition coalition led by Semangat 46 under Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. 'This marked a rare period when Sabah was not aligned with the federal government, but it was shortlived and politically tense.' Salleh, who is also Sabah Umno treasurer, said with Umno's entry into Sabah in the early 90s, BN returned to power in 1994 and maintained their grip on the state until the 2018 general election (GE14) but the state benefited during those 24 years. 'When Sabah was under BN, many major development projects were carried out through close collaboration with the federal government,' he said. He added that this continued after GE14, because with BN losing power in Sabah and Putrajaya, Pakatan Harapan helped Warisan to lead the new state administration. 'Though Warisan was a local party, it worked closely with the federal leadership under prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad,' he said. 'This continued following the 2020 state election won by the new coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), comprising Bersatu, PBS, STAR, and SAPP.' He added that BN, which was part of the new Perikatan Nasional-led federal government since March 2020, decided to cooperate with GRS to form the state government. 'This again reflected a willingness to align with the federal government for stability,' Salleh said. 'Collaboration between state and federal levels is not just an option, it is a necessity. What truly matters is effective leadership, political stability, and the ability to work together.'
Free Malaysia Today
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah activist pans Bung's claim of minimal development under local parties
Sabah activist Johan Ariffin Samad said Umno failed to lift Sabah from the poverty trap. (Wikipedia pic) PETALING JAYA : A Sabah activist says it is unfair to claim that there was minimal development when the state was governed by local parties, pointing to the contributions of leaders such as former chief minister Harris Salleh. Johan Ariffin Samad said Harris, the former president of local party Berjaya who led the state for nearly 10 years, was still regarded as the father of Sabah's industrial and agriculture development. Johan Ariffin Samad. He also cited some of Harris's legacies, like the Desa Dairy Farm in Kundasang, developed under a state government-linked company, which he said was still operating today. 'It is unfair to claim that Sabah saw minimal development under a local party,' Johan, also known as Joe Samad, told FMT. The remark was made by Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, who had referred to the period of 1963 to 1994. Bung said that development took a back seat due to political infighting and power struggles among local parties. He also claimed that frequent changes in government had led to incoherent development plans and the underdevelopment of much of rural Sabah. Harris became chief minister in 1976, following the plane crash that killed his predecessor and party comrade, Fuad Stephens. He led the state until he was ousted in an election in 1985 by Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who had left Berjaya to form Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). In 2020, former banker John Lo told FMT that he regarded Harris as the overseer of the 'golden era' of Sabah's economic development. Lo credited Harris for the development of the tourism, oil and gas industries and an acceleration in agricultural development. Bung Moktar Radin. Johan also rubbished Bung's claim that 'real change' only took place in 1994, when Barisan Nasional (BN) took over the state administration. He said Umno had failed to lift Sabah from the poverty trap and that it remains the state with the highest poverty level. 'Umno focused on urban development centres like Kota Kinabalu, which resulted in the poor infrastructure that we have today in the rural areas,' he said. He added that Umno and BN had likewise failed to resolve the issue of undocumented migrants which continued despite the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) findings on 'Project IC', which saw thousands of undocumented migrants granted Malaysian citizenship. He also cited the rotating system for chief ministers, initiated by Umno, which he said had weakened the state leadership. The system, introduced after BN regained power in Sabah in 1994, saw the post rotated every two years among leaders representing the different communities. 'Bung is the biggest hypocrite for blaming local parties and crediting Umno for development,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Anwar rebukes ‘divisive' leaders in Sabah who stoke conflict with Putrajaya
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Sabah has the potential to become a developed state through close cooperation between the federal and state governments. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has rebuked high-ranking leaders, including MPs, who often speak of developing Sabah through confrontation with Putrajaya. Without naming names, he said they raise issues like defending the Malays, Islam being under threat and the state being neglected once they lose power, Bernama reported. 'The peninsula, Sarawak and Sabah will not progress if we do not unite and work together to uplift this nation. 'You had power before. Do what you can while you still have it. I challenge all my colleagues in power now to do your best for the people while you still have their mandate,' he was quoted as saying at an event in Tawau. Anwar said Sabah has the potential to become a developed state through close cooperation between the federal and state governments. He said it was normal for any state to request allocations for development, and such matters could be discussed amicably and harmoniously between governments. 'This is normal, but not through hostility or condemnation. We can negotiate and find good solutions. We need elected representatives who can voice our interests, not divide us,' he said. Anwar added that all leaders, at both the federal and state levels, must do their best to safeguard the people's welfare and solve their problems, rather than follow in the footsteps of leaders who only know how to condemn others after losing power. 'Look at other countries. Every day there is news of division between races, between regions, between religions. 'Why? Because leaders incite division, but when they have power, they do not think about the people,' he said. Anwar said Sabahans were affected by many issues, including water and electricity supply, healthcare, roads and education facilities. He said, as such, facilities such as schools, clinics and key projects like the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah must be completed properly and not be allowed to face unnecessary delays. 'How long has the Pan Borneo Highway (in Sabah) been stuck? It's nearly completed in Sarawak, but in Sabah, it was severely delayed. 'Thankfully, we have chief minister Hajiji Noor who said: 'Just proceed, don't worry about other problems',' he said.
