Kota Kinabalu: The Federal Government must give greater priority to Sabah in Budget 2027, particularly in addressing long-standing issues involving basic infrastructure, water supply, electricity, education and healthcare, said Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Information Chief Nicholas Ban.
He said Sabah needed not only larger allocations announced each year, but funds that were properly planned, effectively implemented and ultimately benefited the people.
“Every year, we hear about billions of ringgit being allocated, but for me, the more important question is not how big the figure is, but how much of it actually reaches the ground and solves the problems faced by Sabahans.
“We need to move away from simply looking at the allocation figure and look at the outcome,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
Nicholas said basic infrastructure must remain a key priority, particularly water supply, electricity, roads, drainage and other essential public facilities.
He said greater transparency was also needed in the implementation of Federal-funded projects through clearer timelines, progress monitoring and reporting on the actual utilisation of allocations.
“Sabahans should be able to know what has been allocated, what has been spent, what has been completed and what benefit has been delivered. This is how we ensure that every ringgit allocated creates real value,” he stressed.
On healthcare, Nicholas said Budget 2027 should go beyond maintaining existing hospitals and clinics by providing Sabah with more modern medical equipment, technology and specialised treatment capabilities.
He also urged the Government to rethink its approach to assisting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), saying short-term assistance should be complemented by measures to make local businesses stronger, more competitive and capable of becoming self-sustaining.
“We should not only give our local SMEs temporary assistance whenever costs go up or when they face difficulties. We should help them build the ability to survive and grow for the long term,” he added.
He suggested that Budget 2027 focus on affordable financing, digitalisation, automation, skills development, business management, technology adoption, market access and opportunities for local SMEs to enter larger supply chains.
“The objective should be to create stronger local companies that can continue to employ Sabahans, expand their businesses and contribute to the local economy,” he said.
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