Daniel John Jambun, President Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)
KOTA KINABALU: Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) takes note of the statement by Datuk Ir. Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid, Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Commission of Sabah, highlighting Sabah’s abundant natural gas, hydropower, solar and biomass resources and the opportunities they present for the State’s future energy development.
BoPiMaFo agrees that Sabah is richly endowed with energy resources. Indeed, few would dispute that the State possesses enormous potential to become one of the leading energy hubs in the region.
However, the fundamental question today is not whether Sabah possesses abundant energy resources, but why those resources have yet to be translated into tangible and lasting benefits for the people of Sabah.
For decades, Sabahans have repeatedly been told that the State possesses tremendous economic and energy potential. Yet many communities continue to experience unreliable electricity supply, high costs of doing business, limited industrial development and insufficient high-quality employment opportunities.
More significantly, despite being richly endowed with natural gas, hydropower, solar and biomass resources, Sabah is now importing electricity from Sarawak to meet part of its energy demand.
BoPiMaFo does not question the importation of electricity itself. Inter-state electricity trading is a common practice that can enhance grid stability and improve energy security. However, this reality inevitably raises an important public policy question.
If Sabah truly possesses such abundant energy resources, why does the State still need to import electricity to satisfy part of its domestic demand?
This question illustrates that Sabah’s principal challenge is not the lack of natural resources, but whether those resources have been sufficiently developed, efficiently managed and effectively utilised for the benefit of the people.
Potential, by itself, does not improve the welfare of the people.
BoPiMaFo respectfully submits that the public discussion should now move beyond describing Sabah’s potential and instead focus on measurable achievements.
The people deserve clear answers to several important questions:
• How much additional electricity generation capacity has actually been delivered?
• How many rural communities now enjoy reliable electricity because of these initiatives?
• How many new manufacturing and downstream industries have been established as a direct result of improved energy infrastructure?
• How many quality jobs have been created for Sabahans?
• Most importantly, how much of the wealth generated from Sabah’s energy resources remains in Sabah for the benefit of its people?
These are the objective benchmarks by which the success of any energy policy should ultimately be assessed.
BoPiMaFo further believes that discussions on energy development cannot be separated from the broader question of resource governance.
Sabah’s abundant natural resources should generate lasting prosperity for Sabah. This requires effective implementation, fair economic returns to the State, greater local participation in downstream industries, transparent governance and long-term strategic investment that benefits future generations.
Ultimately, success should not be measured by policy aspirations or optimistic projections alone. It should be measured by whether ordinary Sabahans enjoy more reliable electricity, better employment opportunities, stronger local industries and a higher standard of living.
Sabah has never lacked natural wealth.
What Sabah now requires is effective implementation, greater accountability and policies that ensure its abundant energy resources are translated into real and lasting prosperity for the people of Sabah.
