PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on voters in Sabah, particularly in the Bandau state constituency, to elect a representative capable of negotiating directly with the Federal Government to speed up local development.
Speaking at the ‘PMX Sayang Sabah’ engagement programme in Kota Marudu, Anwar emphasised the importance of supporting Pakatan Harapan’s candidate in Bandau, Zaidi Jatil, in the 17th Sabah General Election to ensure development plans can proceed smoothly.
“Choose a representative who can negotiate with me, someone who will take care of Bandau. The moment Zaidi wins, I will give him one month to list all the problems in Bandau. Within a month, or by the first week of January 2026, we will do everything we can to resolve them,” he said.
Anwar added that his visit to the constituency followed reports indicating that Bandau — located about 124 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu and witnessing a 13-cornered contest — was within PH’s reach.
He also noted he has been the most frequent prime ministerial visitor to Sabah, describing this as a reflection of his commitment to the state’s development.
He lauded Sabahans for maintaining harmony in a state rich in ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. “This state is peaceful because the people are wise. Different ethnic groups, different skin colours, different religions, yet everyone cooperates. That is why Sabah remains harmonious,” he said.
Reiterating the Federal Government’s pledge to return 40 per cent of Sabah’s revenue entitlement under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Anwar said both federal and state leaders had, for the first time, reached agreement on its implementation.
He further highlighted several major policy decisions of his administration, including the largest civil service pay rise in Malaysian history, an increase in the minimum wage to RM1,700, a 20 per cent salary cut for ministers, and his own decision not to draw a salary as prime minister.
In Tuaran, Anwar dismissed claims that Pakatan Harapan was being greedy in contesting seats in the Sabah election, saying its modest number of candidates reflected a spirit of cooperation with other parties.
“This is about partnership. Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is not from Keadilan; he is from GRS. But GRS works well with us, so I respect that. This is our spirit — we are not hoarding seats. We are not contesting many, because Sabah parties should contest more,” he said at a community dialogue in Tuaran.
Addressing MA63 and Sabah’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement, Anwar said: “This is not a small matter — it involves billions, not tens of millions. I cannot simply sign off. I must review the agreement and when it is justified, we will deliver. Did previous prime ministers honour this? Did previous Sabah governments raise this properly? It is this government that negotiated and approved it.”
Anwar also urged Sabahans to “rise and reject” leaders who he said had accumulated wealth while marginalising the poor.
“I want the people of Sabah to rise. Decide your future, especially the youth. This is your future — you must determine it yourselves. Not desperate politicians or academics who shout and sow hatred without regard for facts, enriching the wealthy while the poor suffer,” he said at another event in Tuaran.
He encouraged young voters to judge leaders based on their performance while in office, rather than the criticisms they levy after retiring.
“To assess whether a chief minister or the Federal Government is effective, judge them while they are in power. How many leaders has Sabah produced? How many ministers from Sabah serve in the Federal Government? When they retire, they suddenly say this and that is wrong. When they were in power, what did they do?” he asked.
Anwar said he respected and supported Chief Minister Hajiji Noor for consistently maintaining cooperation between the Sabah and Federal Governments in the state’s interest.
“He said he formed the government, he supports the Federal Government, and we will develop Sabah and Malaysia. And until today, he has not wavered from that position.”
A total of 1.76 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots on Saturday, with 73 state seats being contested. The Election Commission has set Saturday as polling day for Sabah’s 17th election. -November 27, 2025
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