KOTA KINABALU – Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said he will question the GRS-led state government during the state assembly sittings over its failure to resolve the long-standing water and electricity disruptions, shortage of doctors and widespread amenity issues despite Sabah having attracted a staggering RM33 billion in investments over two years in power.
The state opposition leader said these problems have become a major concern despite the state government being afforded to deal with the issues due to the positive developments.
“Sabah is rich. We have oil, gas, timber and also gold. We fare better than Dubai actually.
“Dubai only has oil. Dubai does not have what Sabah has. But look at them. Sabah has the means to create basic amenities,” he told reporters at a breaking of fast event held at the Likas Mosque here last night.
Shafie said Warisan did not get a chance to deal with the problem as they had to channel all their resources to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak, including donating RM1 million to the financially strapped agencies battling the infections on the frontline when the party was in power.
Furthermore, he said his administration only survived for 29 months from 2018 to 2020 due to the rampant political manoeuvring that saw a fresh state election called in September 2020.
According to GRS, Sabah has attracted a staggering RM33 billion worth of investments in 2022 after forming the government with Umno in the state election in September 2020.
Yet, the water, electricity and road issues have become more severe, which the Semporna MP said should have been the primary focus of the Sabah government.
Shafie, who is also the Senallang assemblyman, said the state government appears to be silent over its plans in dealing with the power woes in Sabah after passing two state laws to take control of electric and gas control last January.
The state passed the Sabah State Energy Commission Bill 2023 and Gas Supply Bill 2023 as part of efforts to hand regulatory control over electricity to Sabah from the federal government.
Shafie also said focus should be given to enrol more locals at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah medical faculty to address the shortage of doctors in Sabah.
He said the state could emulate universities that had medical programmes in peninsular Malaysia in churning around 400 to 500 medical graduates each.
Shafie said this would allow the federal government to save tons of money from providing outstation allowance to doctors from the peninsula being sent to Sabah to work.
He added that he will bring all of these into the next Sabah legislative assembly sitting. – The Vibes, April 16, 2023
