Kota Kinabalu: The state government is urged to sharpen its focus on essential services, environmental management and long term planning during the Sabah’s State Budget 2026’s debate, on Monday.
Sulabayan Assemblyman, Datuk Jaujan Sambakong, during the budget’s debate highlighted the importance of addressing basic needs, especially water and electricity supplies as well as roads.
Jaujan also drew attention to cleanliness and waste management in Semporna, noting that as one of the best tourism attractions in the world, Semporna is still facing waste issues, which also occurred in the other parts of Sabah such as Sandakan, Kudat and Kota Kinabalu.
“Tourism sector is very important and waste management is also equally important, especially with our Tahun Melawat Sabah goal,” he said.
Welcomed the existence of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Enactment 2022, Jaujan also called for clearer timelines, enforcement mechanisms and innovative approaches by the state government on the waste management.
Jaujan said bigger challenge lies not in creating landfills but in ensuring waste is treated as a resource with economic value.
Pointing to Indonesia as a regional example, he noted that recycling-based enterprises such as community “waste banks” generate income by purchasing paper, plastics, bottles and metal, creating jobs while reducing landfill dependence.
“If we only focus on disposal, we will never solve the waste problem properly,” he said, adding that unmanaged waste affects not just tourist areas but also residential neighbourhoods where people live and work.
In the meantime, during his debate, Jaujan also raised questions about Sabah’s readiness to develop the blue economy, emphasising the need for strong institutional capacity, skilled expertise and meaningful involvement of local communities.
He cautioned that conservation initiatives and marine parks, while valuable, should be planned alongside sustainable livelihood options for fishermen affected by new restrictions.
Jaujan also reiterated a long-standing call for the construction of the Pulau Bum Bum bridge, describing it as a vital link for more than 30,000 residents and a catalyst for social and economic activity in the area.
He stressed that a permanent bridge would provide a more sustainable solution than ferry services, citing cost, maintenance and reliability concerns for rural island communities.
