KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sabah have been urged to give their undivided support to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) at the state election for continued progress and stability.
Making the call, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah’s (PGRS) information chief Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan says the state and its people had experienced five good years under the GRS-led state government.
Today, the GRS has become a byword for political stability and economic growth.
A noteworthy achievement of the government under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has been the rise in Sabah’s GDP from RM83.2 billion in 2023 to RM84.3 billion last year.
Adding to that, state revenue collection for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024) hit almost RM7 billion compared to only RM3.59 billion in 2020.
Also, state reserves stand at over RM8 billion while domestic and foreign investments brought into the state since 2021 amount to RM35.38 billion.
Nizam explains that being able to secure investments worth billions from abroad is not a “walk in the park” but the government succeeded with sheer grit and tenacity amid an uncertain global economy.
And, having inherited legacy issues concerning water and power shortages, the government launched the Ulu Padas Hydroelectric Project (UPHEP) in Tenom.
That is a testament to the GRS-Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s genuine commitment to ensure long-term water and electricity availability.
However, Nizam reckons that opposition critics will continue to blame Hajiji and his administration for failing to resolve the water and electricity woes.
“Do not feign ignorance. You are aware of what Hajiji’s government had been doing to bring about short-term and long-term solutions,” he quips.
The UPHEP – expected to be completed by end of 2030 – is capable of generating an average of 1,052 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy annually, hence increasing Sabah’s current dependable capacity by some 15 per cent.
It willl also double the renewable energy (RE) mix, supporting the state’s goal of achieving approximately 35% RE share in its generation mix by 2035.
Nizam points out that Sabah has always been in safe hands under the direction of the Chief Minister since 2020.
“Therefore, I humbly urge voters to choose wisely at this election. Don’t gamble away your future and that of your children”.
Nizam who is also the incumbent Apas Assembyman, says a strong mandate from Sabahans this time around is absolutely crucial to ensure continued stability for effective governance as well as societal cohesion.
He expresses confidence that the various programmes planned and implemented over the last five years had struck a chord with the people including the rural folks in far-flung areas across the state.
Sabah had also embarked on a six-year plan to revitalise the rural economy and strengthen food security through a statewide Rural Agricultural Economic Revolution (RAER).
RAER was approved by the State Cabinet on March 26 this year.
This new initiative focuses on transforming idle rural land into productive agricultural zones, boosting output and reducing the dependence on food imports.
It also aims to generate income for targeted groups, particularly those living in poverty and extreme poverty, while simultaneously addressing unemployment and unlocking Sabah’s rural economic potential.
The government has set aside an annual allocation of RM10 million to implement RAER – amounting to RM60 million over the six years (2025 and 2030).
And to ensure the people, especially those in the low income group will have a “roof over their heads”, the state government launched Rumah Mesra SMJ in 2022.
The houses will be built in all 73 state constituencies utilising the federal special grant of RM125.6 million.
Each house costs about RM80,000 and priority is given to those who has never owned one
Meanwhile, Nizam believes Sabah voters will not turn their back on the GRS-PH alliance which had cared for all and sundry.
