THE State Government is urged to take a more proactive role in addressing rising living costs, basic necessities including clean water supply, food security and fuel subsidy issues to ease the burden on the people.
Datuk Jaujan Sambakong (Warisan-Sulabayan) said while the supplementary budget was necessary, the focus must now be on ensuring that approved allocations were effectively implemented to deliver meaningful benefits to Sabahans.
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Speaking during the State Assembly sitting Monday, Jaujan said the issues most frequently raised by the people included the rising cost of living, infrastructure development, basic amenities, water supply and fuel subsidy concerns.
He said the State Government should introduce its own initiatives to complement federal assistance rather than relying entirely on federal support.
“The supplementary budget is important, but the question is whether the allocations approved can be fully utilised and implemented.
“The State Government must have its own initiatives. We should not depend entirely on the Federal Government. Sabah is an oil-producing state, so we should look at what can be done under our own laws and powers to ease the people’s burden,” he said.
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Jaujan also called for greater investment in the agriculture sector, saying increased food production was crucial to strengthening food security and reducing Sabah’s dependence on imported supplies.
He urged the State Government to increase allocations for the Agriculture Ministry, noting that Sabah is blessed with abundant natural resources both on land and at sea.
“Sabah is blessed with abundant resources on land and at sea, hence we should be producing more of our own food,” he said.
On basic necessities, Jaujan described reliable water supply as one of Sabah’s most pressing development challenges, saying the issue affected not only daily life but also the State’s ability to attract investors and tourists.
“How can we attract tourists and investors if the water problem remains unresolved? Water is a basic necessity and it has remained an issue for far too long,” he said, while supporting additional allocations for water infrastructure projects.
Jaujan also urged the State Government to review the 200-litre subsidised fuel allocation, saying it was insufficient, particularly for people living in island communities, including fishermen in Sulabayan.
He further appealed for increased funding to construct jetties for island communities, stressing that jetties served the same purpose as roads for residents who relied on boats as their main mode of transportation.
“My constituency comprises 12 islands. Our people do not need roads, they need jetties because boats are their main transportation,” he said.
