Kota Kinabalu: A heartbreaking account of villagers in Kg Mentapuk carrying a coffin by boat across a river due to the absence of safe access has laid bare the stark reality of Sabah’s rural development gap, Datuk Rusdin @ Musidi Riman told the State Assembly.
Taking part in the debate on the State Government’s policy speech, he said the incident was not isolated but reflected deeper inequalities still faced by rural communities such as Paginatan, where basic infrastructure remains lacking despite the state’s “Sabah Maju Jaya” aspirations.
“Success is not measured by slogans or documents, but by how far development is felt in the villages,” he stressed, noting that nearly 45 per cent of Sabah’s population still lives in rural areas.
He said residents were not asking for extraordinary privileges, only essentials — passable roads, clean water, electricity and fair opportunities for their children.
However, key issues in Paginatan continue to centre on roads, water supply and electricity, with areas such as Kg Tianglama, Bayag, Togoyog, Kitaie and Longutt still facing roads not yet under the Public Works Department’s care.
Poor connectivity, he said, limits access to education, healthcare, safety and economic opportunities, with poverty in rural areas often driven by physical isolation rather than lack of effort.
Highlighting the scale of hardship, Rusdin said 927 households in Paginatan are classified as poor, many unable to escape poverty due to weak infrastructure.
He cited the recent collapse of the Sungai Melaut bridge, which cut off 124 families from transporting agricultural produce to market. Attempts by villagers to build their own transport system failed due to the river’s 55-metre width, turning what should be a basic facility into a direct economic disruption.
He said some villages still lack consistent electricity supply despite installed poles and cables, while water access often depends on gravity-fed systems, underscoring persistent “last mile connectivity” challenges.
At the same time, 115 houses were identified as affected by the Pan Borneo Highway project under Work Packages 33, 34 and 35 passing through Paginatan.
While supporting the project as a development catalyst, he urged consideration of SMJ housing schemes or ex gratia payments for those who lost land, suffered structural damage or were ineligible for compensation.
Rusdin also pointed to Paginatan’s strong potential in agriculture and agro-tourism, but said this remains unrealised without proper market access, logistics and capital.
He proposed establishing agricultural collection centres, expanding modern farming technology assistance and strengthening entrepreneurship training to transform rural economies into value-added sectors.
“When roads are damaged and crops cannot reach markets, farmers are forced to sell cheaply — this is not an individual failure but a broken ecosystem,” he said.
On fisheries, he noted a recent viral outbreak affecting Tagal fish stocks, impacting operators in Paginatan, a known destination for the community-based conservation system.
He commended the Sabah Fisheries Department for swift action but urged preventive measures to safeguard the sector, which attracts both domestic and international tourists.
He stressed that human development must remain central, warning that lack of electricity and internet access continues to affect students’ ability to study at night and widens the digital divide.
“If the education gap between urban and rural areas is not closed, the economic gap will be inherited,” he said, adding that producing at least one graduate per family could help break the cycle of poverty.
On the 40 per cent revenue entitlement under the Federal Constitution, Rusdin welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to continue negotiations, but stressed that the issue goes beyond fiscal formulas to Sabah’s ability to fund essential infrastructure.
He proposed forming a special Sabah Assembly committee involving both government and opposition representatives to present a united front. “Negotiating strength comes not from the loudest voice, but from unity,” he said.
Rusdin pledged to serve all communities regardless of background, emphasising that the people of Paginatan are not asking for lofty promises but for development that reaches their villages consistently and fairly.
