PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has criticised several former leaders for portraying themselves as “heroes of the people” as the 17th Sabah State Election (PRN) approaches, despite failing to fulfil their responsibilities when they were in power.
Speaking at the *Rancakkan Madani Sabah* programme here on Sunday, Anwar said the public must evaluate such figures wisely and not be swayed by political theatrics.
“We must assess with intelligence and wisdom, otherwise we become victims. Now, with the Sabah election season here, everyone suddenly becomes a hero.
“If you were truly heroes, where were you last year? Where were you two years ago? Where were you when you were ministers and in power? Why were the issues you now highlight not addressed then?” he asked.
Anwar said genuine leadership was not about inciting racial or religious sentiment but about upholding integrity and moral values. He stressed that the nation’s wealth should not be concentrated among the elite while ordinary citizens are left behind.
“Now, some are suddenly shouting ‘people’s rights, state rights’. But when they had power, where were those rights? Power is not for ‘my rights, my wife’s rights, or my children’s rights’. Power must be used to defend the people,” he said.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to Sabah’s development regardless of political differences, noting that the 2026 Budget allocates RM6.9 billion to the state — the highest development allocation in Malaysia’s history. This includes an interim special grant of RM600 million under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Anwar urged voters to judge leaders by their track record and sincerity, not by campaign promises alone, adding that political stability and unity were vital for advancing Sabah’s economy and improving the people’s well-being.
Meanwhile, Anwar extended assistance to the family of Melvin Funk, whose home was destroyed in a landslide at Kampung Duvanson, Putatan, on Saturday night.
The Prime Minister’s Political Secretary, Datuk Ahmad Farhan Fauzi, delivered the cash aid on Anwar’s behalf during a visit to the site with local leaders and representatives from the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) Sabah.
“I, together with Tuan Awang Husaini, a local community leader, visited the site to assess immediate action needed. I also presented the Prime Minister’s cash contribution as initial assistance. We are thankful that no lives were lost, but the impact on this family is deeply felt,” Ahmad Farhan said in a Facebook post later shared by Anwar.
He added that the family’s home, built through years of savings, was destroyed in seconds when the landslide struck around 10 p.m. The four family members inside managed to escape after feeling tremors and hearing a loud noise from behind the house. - November 9, 2025
