Sabah’s future hinges on honest governance, says Roger Chin

16 December 2025

KOTA KINABALU: Nominated Assemblyman Datuk Roger Chin has urged the state government to uphold honesty and higher standards of governance, stressing that Sabahans have long been denied both resources and clarity in state management and the implementation of their rights.

Speaking during the debate on the 2026 state budget at the State Assembly here on Monday, Chin said Sabah’s persistent challenges were not the result of natural disasters, but of decisions and systems that had been allowed to weaken or fail over time.

“Sabah is not poor, but it has been poorly served. Our people work hard and endure quietly, yet endurance should never be mistaken for acceptance, as Sabahans want clarity, fairness, and standards — and they have waited long enough,” he said.

Chin highlighted systemic issues, including frequent power disruptions, water supply problems, weak governance, and approval processes not firmly grounded in law, as evidence of failures that required decisive corrective action.

He warned that repeated announcements of new projects without addressing longstanding problems risked eroding public confidence.

“A budget should not be viewed merely as a collection of figures, but as a reflection of a government’s willingness to repair foundational weaknesses, enforce standards, and fulfil its obligations to the people,” he said.

Citing deteriorating roads and under-equipped healthcare facilities, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas, Chin stressed that the distinction between federal and state jurisdiction was irrelevant to those affected.

“Sabahans do not experience broken roads as ‘Federal’ or ‘State’. They experience delays, damage, and risk. Similarly, healthcare does not fail by jurisdiction — it fails when responsibility is avoided,” he stressed.

On governance, he said standards were not optional and scrutiny should never be treated as an inconvenience.

“We need planning systems that adhere strictly to the law, reliable daily utility services, government-linked companies that prioritise public interest over political considerations, and a civil service empowered to act professionally,” he added.

Emphasising Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Chin said the state’s 40 per cent entitlement, autonomy, and legislative powers were substantive rights, not symbolic gestures, and must be honoured regardless of political convenience.

The assemblyman also urged the government to build systems that match the aspirations and capabilities of Sabah’s people, particularly the younger generation.

“If we are serious about Sabah’s future, then we must fix the foundations. These are the basics of a functioning state,” he stressed, pledging to defend Sabah’s rights and dignity while rejecting a culture of excuses and lowered standards in governance.