KOTA KINABALU – The problem of poor basic facilities and infrastructure in Sabah is not solely due to a lack of allocation from the federal government, said an expert.
Geostrategist Azmi Hassan opined instead that the problem remains a major issue in Sabah to date due to a lack of effective communication between relevant parties, such as village chiefs and local authorities in the areas involved.
“It is not just the collapsed jetty in Semporna recently; we see that when there are problems, we blame the people’s representatives. Actually, the responsibilities of public representatives are bigger.
“For such incidents, it is the duty of the local authority in the area (Semporna District Office). In my opinion, it is an issue of ineffective communication,” he told The Vibes’s sister portal, Getaran, yesterday.
He said this when commenting on an earlier statement by Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman who raised his concerns about the condition of infrastructure facilities in Sabah, which had students “gambling” with their safety.
The Muar MP said it is disappointing that such a situation is still happening, as though the people in Sabah are ignored despite the state receiving RM6 billion in development allocation and its ministers enjoying high salaries last year.
He questioned why the students must face such dangerous and risky situations, in reference to the viral video of students falling into the water as the jetty collapsed in Pulau Pababag recently.
Meanwhile, Research Coordinator of Research for Social Advancement, Fakhrurrazi Rashid said that the education ministry, Sabah state government, and local authorities should restudy infrastructure facilities used by students.
He said this includes jetties that are over 20 years old, which should be repaired to ensure the safety of the students, especially in rural areas.
“The allocation for infrastructure development should be shown in Budget 2023 soon. It is not only to build strong jetties but (allocation) to create a safer environment for the students,” he said.
He stressed that students’ safety involves several aspects, which also include sexual harassment and bullying. Such issues must also be addressed by all parties in an effort to create a safe environment for all, Fakhurrazi said.
“This also includes (the condition of) schools. It has been a focus for years, and it must be solved as soon as possible,” he said.
Sabah’s poor infrastructure conditions, especially in rural areas, are not a new phenomenon and have been reported repeatedly by the media.
Last January, the issue of a dilapidated hanging bridge over Sg Batang at Mile 10, Sandakan went viral with primary and secondary school pupils risking their lives walking on unstable wooden planks.
The case in Sandakan was quickly followed by viral pictures of over 20 children crammed on a wooden boat without life jackets heading to school in Pitas.
Another similar case emerged the following month in February, where in Pitas, 58 pupils from five villages were forced to take a small boat to cross Sg Bengkoka in order to reach school after the hanging bridge they utilised daily was ravaged by a serious flood which hit the district in early January.
Pitas is one of the poorest districts in Sabah and in the whole of Malaysia.
Then in April, videos of pupils zip-lining across a river in a bucket in Tulid, Nabawan had gone viral.
Last year, Sabah Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun hit out at salaried civil servants who failed to make sure bridges are properly built and repaired across the state and for regularly putting the lives of rural children and adults at risk.
He said rural folk have to cross damaged or makeshift bridges to get to school or work.
“To me, all salaried government workers from the various working departments...they should be able to fix it soonest, am I right?” he said when commenting on the incident in Tulid last year.
Masidi, who was then Sabah local government and housing minister, lamented that such conditions are sometimes not reported. They only grab attention when a video or photo is taken by someone, which results in the whole government getting the blame.
Meanwhile, a social media user, Priya Darshini Damodran, said that it is time for the federal government to develop Sabah and Sarawak and provide both with better basic facilities.
“We have been enjoying revenue from timber, fisheries, oil and gas industries. A total of 60% of uniformed personnel are from East Malaysia.
“It is time that the federal government starts upgrading the living standards of (the people in) Sabah and Sarawak,” she said. – The Vibes, February 5, 2023
