Kota kinabalu: Sabah voters should cast their ballots for the 17th Sabah state election based on realistic development packages that are inclusive and not merely on local party sentiment, a researcher said. Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Borneo Election and Geopolitics Study (GeoPES) researcher Dr Haryati Abdul Karim emphasized the importance of voters being smart and pragmatic as they have experienced administrations under local, national parties as well as coalitions of local and national parties.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Haryati highlighted the need for voters to choose candidates who can offer realistic packages to propel Sabah towards becoming a progressive and prosperous state without straining its relations with the federal government. She stressed the necessity for state leadership with a clear vision and mission to develop Sabah, which holds the potential to become a rich and developed state. She questioned the relevance of the narrative that promotes voting exclusively for local parties and rejecting external parties, particularly the slogan ‘Sabah for Sabahans.’
The UMS Social Science and Humanities Faculty senior lecturer pointed out that the core issues for Sabahans revolve around basic infrastructure that affects quality of life. Voters should focus on parties capable of addressing these challenges. From a socio-economic perspective, Dr Haryati noted that Sabah continues to grapple with high absolute and relative poverty rates, low income levels, and limited job opportunities, despite being led by local parties such as United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), Berjaya, and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) in the past.
Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) chief executive officer Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Ramzah Dambul added that the ‘vote local party’ campaign and prioritizing local rights are distinct. The former is often a political strategy to gain power, whereas the latter is about protecting Sabah’s and the public’s interests. He emphasized the importance of cooperation with the federal government to ensure development and economic progress while prioritizing Sabah’s local rights.
Dr Ramzah advised that voters should select local parties that can foster development through federal collaboration. He also underscored the need for leaders and a state government capable of negotiating effectively with the federal government to secure necessary resources for the state’s development. Highlighting Sabah’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, he called for political leadership that understands and champions these rights appropriately.
Sabah voters are set to cast their ballots on Nov 29, with early voting scheduled for Nov 25.