PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has mounted a firm defence of the federal government’s significant development funding for East Malaysia, dismissing parliamentary opposition to the expenditure by declaring that systemic regional disparities can only be remedied through aggressive, targeted investment in remote communities.
The Prime Minister used the groundbreaking ceremony of the RM198 million Sabah Southern Madani Link (SSML) electricity grid project to illustrate how his administration is actively decentralising infrastructure development away from traditional urban hubs in accordance with the overarching Malaysia Madani philosophy.
Addressing ongoing friction within Parliament where some lawmakers have openly questioned the scale of resources directed towards Sabah and Sarawak, Anwar rejected the criticism as short-sighted, arguing that enhanced allocations are vital to overcome historical deficits and elevate the standard of living for rural populations.
He stated that the current governance model deliberately departs from global trends where capital investments are overwhelmingly clustered within metropolitan zones at the expense of outer territories.
"That is why I am deeply concerned and want to ensure that development is distributed evenly throughout every part of the state, including the interior. This is what distinguishes our approach from that of some other countries, where development is focused only on major cities," he said in Sipitang today.
The engineering initiative, which commenced on 17 September last year and has reached 17 per cent completion as of late May, entails erecting a 275-kilovolt transmission line through dense territory to interconnect the eastern and western power grids, thereby stabilising electricity security and preparing the state for heightened industrial and domestic demand ahead of its September 2028 completion deadline.
Anwar also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the engineering teams and labourers enduring harsh conditions to implement the infrastructure through challenging wilderness environments.
"I am moved and pleased to see those transmission towers stretching across the wilderness. Imagine the workers whose job requires them to enter the forests and leave their families behind, all to develop electricity supply infrastructure for the people of Sabah. To all of you, I extend my deepest appreciation for this sacrifice," he said.
The high-profile event was attended by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mustapha Sakmud. - June 13, 2026
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