Kota Kinabalu: Sabah and Sarawak’s cooperation should not involve competition from Sarawak parties, said Parti Warisan President Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
He said Sabah must first address its state-level issues to strengthen the grouping.
Highlighting the significance of Sabah and Sarawak in the formation of Malaysia through the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Mohd Shafie stressed that both regions’ voices need to be heard.
Addressing the regional administrative management, he noted improvements are necessary for Sabah’s voice to be prominent.
He was responding to Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) President Datuk Larry Sng who said the party would compete in Sabah to accelerate the State’s development through Borneo power.
Shafie, who is also Semporna Member of Parliament, said Warisan has never sought to contest in Sarawak. Currently, Sabah holds 25 Parliamentary seats, Sarawak 31, with only a few PBM state assembly members.
Shafie urged the people of Sabah to recognise their true representation, noting that while Pakatan Harapan (PH) voices are heard, ground-level issues remain unresolved.
He criticised frequent election promises that fail to materialise when problems arise.
“During elections we constantly hear pleasing assurances of helping to solve the problems and reducing the burden, but when issues arise we don’t even see the faces of those giving those assurances,” he said during a Ziarah Kasih Programme in Sembulan, Saturday.
He cited the budget allocations, mentioning the RM6.6 billion for Sabah and the RM16 billion announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from the Federal Government.
He questioned effective management of these funds, pointing to ongoing issues like the water supply problem, which he believes could be solved with a RM1 billion allocation.
“Where is the money, the money cannot even be managed properly. For example, the existing water problem, I think an allocation of RM1 billon is sufficient to overcome the issue.
“If the problem cannot be overcome, then give us space to overcome the problem in Sabah, we can do it,” he said.
Shafie also urged Sabah’s leadership to promptly request assistance from Federal agencies, such as the army and Fire and Rescue Department, during flood emergencies.
Likewise, he suggested the State Governmet enlist the Malaysian Armed Forces to aid residents in cleaning flood-damaged homes.
“For areas without water supply due to flooding, deploy Fire and Rescue water tankers instead of costly private alternatives,” he said.
“Using existing government resources such as agency trucks for water delivery to flood-isolated areas can reduce expenses,” Shafie added.
He expressed concern over the water supply issues at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, hoping for a swift resolution to avoid prolonged student investigations.
“Just imagine, Universiti Malaysia Sabah is faced with water supply issues, students are accused of lacking discipline and are investigated. I hope matters like this do not drag on,” he said.
The former Chief Minister emphasised the need for more effective strategies to mitigate flood damage in frequently affected areas like Penampang.
The recent floods impacted hundreds of homes in Penampang, Putatan, Tuaran, and Tamparuli, causing significant property damage.
