Groups present 117-policy roadmap ahead of state elections

Borneo Post

5 days ago

Representatives from SABAR presenting a copy of the 'Sabahans' Aspirations and Demands' to representatives from STAR Sabah, SAPP, PBS, Parti Impian Sabah, Warisan, PGRS, LDP and Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri.
KOTA KINABALU (June 23): In a powerful display of civic engagement and participatory policymaking, more than 300 stakeholders gathered at Wisma Wanita for the final town hall of the 'Sabah Voices to Action – Shaping Sabah's Future Together' initiative.
The event marked the official launch of the 'Sabahans' Aspirations and Demands' report — an unprecedented 60 plus pages of policy document outlining 117 actionable recommendations across 21 key areas in Education, Healthcare, Public Infrastructure and Good Governance.
Compiled through a three-month consultative process involving diverse communities across the state, the report is now publicly accessible in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Chinese at https://www.sabar.org.my/action/#reports.
Launched in January and formally executed between March and June 2025, this non-partisan, citizen-driven movement — spearheaded by the Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (SABAR) in collaboration with civil society partners — was designed to empower ordinary Sabahans to voice their priorities and shape meaningful policy reforms in the lead-up to the 2025 Sabah State Election.
The initiative employed a multi-platform strategy to reach a broad spectrum of Sabahans through eight widely streamed podcast episodes, more than 30 published articles in a local daily, and 12 regional town halls in districts such as Kota Marudu, Keningau, Tawau, Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu.
Over 500 individuals — including professionals, educators, healthcare workers, youth, and civil society leaders — participated in the formulation of the report.
In his opening remarks, Datuk Zainie Abdul Aucasa, chairman of the Board of SABAR, emphasized that the document reflects the aspirations and concerns of everyday Sabahans, gathered through a genuine grassroots engagement process. While acknowledging that it may not represent every voice, he asserted that it serves as a powerful foundation for further inquiry, dialogue and collaborative action.
'This is not a final blueprint,' he said, 'but a compelling starting point.'
He extended a sincere appeal to political leaders across the spectrum: 'Please listen with open hearts. The voices you hear today are not partisan — they represent the shared hopes of a people who deeply love this state and want to see it flourish. This is an opportunity to demonstrate real commitment to participatory governance and people-centred leadership. I urge you to reflect these priorities meaningfully in your election manifestos.'
He continued by acknowledging the roots of Sabah's challenges, stating, 'We must understand that the problems we face today did not arise overnight. They are the result of decades of accumulated neglect, flawed policies and missed opportunities. Now is not the time for finger-pointing. It is time to set politics aside and embrace shared responsibility. We are not here to complain; we are here to build and be part of the solution.'
Zainie concluded with a call for courage and collective action, reminding the audience that what matters most is a willingness to act — decisively and responsibly — for the future of Sabah's next generation.
Among the report's major recommendations is the call to establish a Sabah Ministry of Education with autonomy over procurement of infrastructure and educational resources, teacher recruitment and training, curriculum development and assessment. It advocates for universal access to quality preschool education, targeted support for rural and undocumented students, strategic actions on STEM and TVET, and greater bilingual proficiency through the Dual Language Programme.
The document stresses the importance of including Sabah-centric content in the national curriculum and ensuring that teachers are locally recruited, equipped with innovative teaching methods and digital tools, and protected from excessive administrative workloads.
In the area of healthcare, the report proposes the establishment of a Sabah Ministry of Health to design and implement state-specific programs, complementing federal initiatives. It calls for improved welfare, incentives and clear career progression for healthcare workers, expanded health services to rural and underserved communities, introduction of technology such as telehealth, and travel assistance for patients needing treatment outside their districts.
The report also recommends increased training opportunities for post-basic, allied health sciences and specialist development to address Sabah's unique healthcare challenges more effectively.
On public infrastructure, the report introduces a six-stage development cycle encompassing inclusive needs assessment, integrated planning, transparent procurement, sufficient and timely disbursement of funds, accompanied by efficient implementation, regular maintenance and proactive rehabilitation. It calls for a Sabah Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, centralized project management, digital procurement platforms and independent oversight mechanisms.
To ensure sustainability and relevance, it emphasizes the importance of involving local contractors and communities in both planning and implementation. Emergency preparedness, climate resilience and long-term planning are also identified as critical components of effective infrastructure development.
In the area of good governance, the report recommends wide-ranging structural reforms. These include the enactment of Political Financing and Procurement Acts, mandatory open tenders with real-time public tracking, and the establishment of independent procurement and audit commissions. It urges the depoliticization of appointments in government-linked companies (GLCs) and public service, standardization of asset declarations and key performance indicators, and decentralization of fiscal and development planning powers under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
A macro-level governance framework is proposed to restore public trust and improve accountability in the management of GLCs and public resources.
Lim Hock Song, organising chairperson of the initiative, reiterated the non-partisan nature of the movement.
'This is about people. It's about the wellbeing of Sabahans and the future we want to build together,' he declared. He emphasized that the report, once released, would take on a life of its own — as the collective intellectual property of the people of Sabah and an open-source resource for all.
'It is not a final blueprint, but a living document. We hope Sabahans will embrace it as a shared starting point, from which we can build together toward a brighter future for every community across our state.'
Delivering a stirring closing remark, SABAR trustee Datuk Ujang Sulani placed the initiative within Sabah's long journey toward self-determination.
'Sabah has always been rich — not only in resources, but in spirit. But prosperity remains elusive. We must go beyond dialogue. This is no longer about being heard. It is time for us to be heeded,' he declared.
Referring to the unfulfilled promises of the Malaysia Agreement 1963, he added, 'That agreement must translate into true freedom — not only from colonialism, but from dependency, bureaucracy and neglect.'
Ujang concluded by urging all present to treat this final town hall not as an ending, but as a beginning.
SABAR urges all political parties and candidates contesting the 2025 Sabah State Election to give thoughtful consideration to these aspirations and demands, and to reflect them clearly and meaningfully in their upcoming election manifestos.
The full 'Sabahans' Aspirations and Demands' report is now available at https://www.sabar.org.my/action/#reports