SHAH ALAM - Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) says Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to resolve the people’s fundamental needs during its 34 years of rule in the state, leaving Sabah far behind Peninsular Malaysia’s development progress.
GRS Information Chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said that Umno War Room Secretariat Chief Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan’s recent remarks claiming BN had developed Sabah were misleading.
Jonistan said BN’s long rule had left behind problems that are now being carried by the GRS government.
He added that many of the state’s basic needs such as rural roads, schools, water supply and electricity remained unresolved, which created a wide gap between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
“Ahmad Maslan is trying to confuse the citizens. After being in power for so long, BN still failed to solve the daily problems of the people.
“That is a fact that Sabahans themselves have experienced.
“These issues are now being addressed by GRS, with substantial allocations provided,” he told Sinar Harian.
Joniston was responding to Ahmad’s claim that GRS was ‘still learning to govern’ and too early to boast about its performance.
He said the GRS-led administration was committed to solving the citizens’ problems, governing more effectively by listening to the voices of Sabahans and prioritising the state’s progress, which differed from BN.
“In just five years, Sabah’s state revenue has risen to a record high of RM6.9 billion, state reserves have surpassed RM8.6 billion and are expected to reach RM10 billion.
“In addition, more than RM35 billion worth of investments have been secured, while nearly RM1 billion has been allocated for education and skills development.
“Therefore, to say that GRS is still learning to crawl is simply illogical,” he said.
Joniston added that Ahmad’s criticism showed that the Umno leader underestimated the strength of the local coalition.
“His remarks are clearly tone-deaf to the voices of Sabahans, because people now believe that the state’s future is more secure under local leadership, not mere rhetoric from outsiders,” he said.
Long-standing structural issues
Meanwhile, MILA University Senior Economics Lecturer Dr Mohamad Khair Afham Muhammad Senan said that Sabah’s economic and infrastructure gap compared to Peninsular Malaysia stemmed from long-standing structural challenges, including difficult terrain, scattered settlements and reliance on primary sectors.
He said national neglect of balanced infrastructure development for decades had left Sabah and Sarawak with road, power, water and digital access deficits.
However, he said GRS’s administration had shown progress, with stronger fiscal performance and increased development allocations.
“In addition, the state government has presented a 2025 supplementary budget focusing on water, roads, and welfare, highlighting its emphasis on long-overdue basic infrastructure.
“The doubling of the MA63 Special Grant to RM600 million starting in 2025 has also expanded fiscal space for basic projects,” he said.
Moreover, Dr Mohamad Khair added that the completion of key energy infrastructure, such as the Sabah–Sarawak interconnection project and growing investments in Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP) and renewable energy manufacturing, reflected a clear shift towards higher-value industries.
“In green manufacturing, a new RM7.2 billion solar glass plant in Kimanis is expected to create thousands of jobs and strengthen the renewable energy supply chain.
“This reflects a shift from dependence on raw commodities to more productive downstream industries,” he said.
He said that in the context of the upcoming Sabah state election, voters should evaluate economic pledges based on real impact.
“The priority is the government’s ability to reduce the cost of living through lower logistics costs, improving job quality with higher pay and skills and ensuring accessibility to essential services,” he said.