logo
Young Sabahans turn to social media amid party scepticism

Young Sabahans turn to social media amid party scepticism

KOTA KINABALU: A significant number of young Sabahans are becoming politically literate through social media, said Sabah Youth Council president Abqaree Fawwaz Abekan.
However, he said that this group of youngsters, aged between 18 and 40, remains sceptical of formal institutions and traditional political parties.
Abqaree said younger voters are increasingly looking past party logos and towards individual candidates' track records.
"Sabahan youth are primarily concerned with daily, tangible issues such as access to jobs, basic amenities like roads, electricity, clean water, reliable internet, land rights, and the cost of living, especially outside Kota Kinabalu.
"This mistrust stems from years of political instability, party-hopping, and leadership that appears inconsistent or out of touch.
"Young voters want to see action, not just promises," he told the New Straits Times, while warning of the possibility that they may also decline to vote if there isn't a strong campaign to raise awareness and rekindle interest in choosing credible leaders.
While Abqaree said that youngsters, especially from rural Sabah, resonate strongly with the "Sabah for Sabahan" sentiment, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas offered a different perspective on the matter.
The research assistant at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) said that while the sentiment continues to gain traction, it is also clear that today's youth are deeply pragmatic.
"What they want are realistic policies, meaningful autonomy, and effective delivery mechanisms.
"Many are prioritising leadership quality, transparency, and the ability to deliver on real issues: jobs, education, cost of living, and equitable development.
"This pragmatism reflects a long-standing political culture in Sabah, where voters are known to cross party lines if it means better governance or greater returns for the state."
The former two-time election candidate from Kiulu, who is also studying the political participation of Undi18 voters, said that political parties must rise to the occasion.
This state election may well determine whether Sabah's political scene can evolve in step with a younger generation that is values-driven, outcome-focused, and determined to shape a more inclusive and locally grounded future.
"If parties continue to neglect youth representation or fail to deliver tangible reforms, they risk being rejected by a generation that's no longer easily swayed by party nostalgia or outdated campaign methods."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

No maritime border change without Sabah's consent: Shafie
No maritime border change without Sabah's consent: Shafie

Daily Express

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Express

No maritime border change without Sabah's consent: Shafie

Published on: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 23, 2025 By: Abbey Junior Text Size: Shafie said Sabah's claim over areas such as Sipadan and Ligitan had previously been upheld at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based on strong legal and historical evidence, including British-era records and community presence on the islands. Kota Kinabalu: Any decision on maritime boundary changes, particularly involving the Ambalat Block, must go through the Sabah Legislative Assembly and cannot be decided unilaterally by the Chief Minister, says Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal. Raising the issue in Parliament on Tuesday, the Semporna MP reminded the Government that Sabah has historical, legal and constitutional rights that must be upheld, citing Article 2 of the Federal Constitution, which requires consent from the State Assembly for any border amendments. 'This is about trust in nation-building. The law must be enforced. The Chief Minister does not have the absolute power to agree on maritime boundary shifts, whether in Sulawesi or elsewhere,' he said. He stressed that while Sabah's legal team may be involved in negotiations with Indonesia, all decisions must be democratically approved by the State Assembly. Shafie said Sabah's claim over areas such as Sipadan and Ligitan had previously been upheld at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based on strong legal and historical evidence, including British-era records and community presence on the islands. On the economic front, Shafie criticised the longstanding imbalance in petroleum revenue sharing, saying Sabah has only received five per cent oil royalties since the Petroleum Development Act 1974 came into force. 'During my time as Chief Minister, we imposed a sales tax — that's how the Government earned an additional RM2 billion to RM3 billion,' he said, adding that maritime development talks must also clarify what economic benefits Sabah would receive. 'Will there be jobs? Will upstream or downstream activities be offered to Sabahans? We don't want Sabahans questioning the returns while others benefit,' he said. He called on the Prime Minister to be transparent about what Sabah stands to gain from any negotiations involving maritime development with Indonesia. 'This country would not have been formed without Sabah and Sarawak. If this region contributes to Malaysian territory, then we must ensure Sabah is not sidelined,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

GRS treating state resources as personal property, says Sabah Umno
GRS treating state resources as personal property, says Sabah Umno

The Star

time13 hours ago

  • The Star

GRS treating state resources as personal property, says Sabah Umno

KOTA KINABALU: The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government is facing mounting criticism over the alleged secretive issuance of mineral mining licences and attempts to distort the state's oil and gas history. Sabah Umno information chief Datuk Suhaimi Nasir (pic) said public trust had been betrayed, warning that Sabah's resources were being managed 'like a family inheritance' rather than state assets belonging to the people. 'The people's trust is the highest principle in any democracy. Unfortunately, under the current GRS administration, that trust has been blatantly betrayed by political greed,' said Suhaimi, who is also the Libaran MP, in a statement on Tuesday (July 22). He took issue with recent remarks that Sabah's oil and gas sector only began developing after the establishment of SMJ Energy (SMJE) in 2021, pointing out that the RM54bil Sabah Integrated Oil and Gas Project (SIOGP) was launched in 2014 under the Barisan Nasional administration. 'GRS leaders are attempting to rewrite history,' he said. Suhaimi also questioned whether the much-publicised investments into Sabah were truly benefitting ordinary Sabahans or merely enriching political cronies. 'GRS often boasts about multi-billion ringgit investments into Sabah, but the people deserve to know: how much of that truly goes to companies owned by genuine Sabahans?' he said. He said it was unacceptable that the state government remained silent on basic public demands such as clean water, better roads, and stable electricity — yet was swift and quiet when it came to awarding mining licences. 'When it comes to mining licences, the government suddenly becomes swift, rushed, and silent. Is this the real priority of GRS?' he asked. 'Sabah is not the private estate of politicians. It is the people's property.' Suhaimi said Sabah was now in the midst of a leadership crisis, adding that true leaders would not trade the state's land and dignity for political survival. 'The people of Sabah deserve to know who profits and who approved it, because this state is not a personal fiefdom to be controlled by political elites,' he said. 'Do not ever sell out Sabah for personal gain,' he added.

Ng: Selangor Intelligent Parking initiative key to state's 'smart city' ambitions
Ng: Selangor Intelligent Parking initiative key to state's 'smart city' ambitions

New Straits Times

time16 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

Ng: Selangor Intelligent Parking initiative key to state's 'smart city' ambitions

KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor Intelligent Parking (SIP) is more than just an initiative to improve parking systems under local councils; it's a key part of the state's "smart city" ambitions. Selangor Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim said the "smart city" concept is the "way of the future". Ng stated that the SIP was being planned with this larger vision in mind. The system, he said, would align with the Smart Selangor initiative and serve the state's broader agenda, including establishing command centres and harnessing the power of big data. Ng also highlighted that beyond improving the parking system, improving security was a significant concern. "Previously, our parking systems did not have any integrated surveillance cameras (CCTVs) or other features," he told the New Straits Times. "Having such features means we can integrate our operations with the police. It would not be limited to just parking." "These things can be implemented together for the whole of Selangor in the future. This is for the first phase, and if it's successful, we can extend this model to all of Selangor," he added. Ng was commenting on concerns raised by several Pakatan Harapan Members of Parliament from Selangor. Earlier today, Shah Alam MP Azli Yusof, Subang MP Wong Chen, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, and Selayang MP William Leong held a press conference on SIP in the Dewan Rakyat. Among the issues they raised was the possibility of reduced revenues for local councils. Ng assured that the state government will ensure the implementation of the planned smart parking system results in a "win-win" situation for all parties, including local councils. He acknowledged the government was aware of the concerns some had about the SIP initiative, particularly the possible loss of revenue for local councils. "We have met councillors (from the local councils involved in SIP)," Ng said. "We take their concerns very seriously, but we still have time to look into these concerns to find a win-win solution." On the rollout, Ng said the Selangor Exco meeting today (Wed) would discuss the issues raised to ensure SIP's implementation is proper and goes smoothly. "But if more time is needed for further discussions, we will do it (postpone implementation)," he clarified. Ng also explained that the SIP for the four local councils involved – Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selayang, and Shah Alam – does not follow the traditional privatisation model. "This new model was approved by the state National Security Council. We involved Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) and state-owned subsidiary Rantaian Mesra," he said. "Through Rantaian Mesra, we also invited public and private companies to work with the local authorities on SIP." Ng expressed confidence that parking via SIP could be managed more effectively than before. Addressing questions about the RM200 million for the initial capital investment, which would be borne by the concessionaire, Ng said this figure was an estimated amount covering all four local councils over a five-year period. This would include upgrades to CCTVs and related systems. This includes the installation of about 1,800 CCTV cameras in high-traffic parking areas within the four councils. "For example, many people use false plates these days, so we must be able to detect these fake plates," he said, adding that this included cloned cars. "Otherwise, when you issue a summons and someone challenges it in court, we can lose."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store