KOTA KINABALU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised that his presence in Sabah is not to gain personal profit, but rather to fulfil the trust of safeguarding the rights and future of the people of the state.
He said that throughout more than a decade of holding various positions in the government, including the period before becoming prime minister, he had never profited in Sabah, because his governance principles have always been based on integrity.
“I have been a minister for more than 10 years, but I have never taken a single log from Sabah, I have not taken any contracts, and I have not taken any land… I come to look after the people, to carry out the trust,” he said when speaking at the PMX Sayang Sabah Mega Talk at a hotel in the Petagas State Assembly area tonight.
Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, said the commitment of the Madani government is to ensure that Sabah’s development continues to receive due attention, including through the historic step of returning electricity regulatory control to the state government in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He said that although the power had been returned to Sabah, the state government informed that they faced a lack of funds to resolve the electricity supply problem, causing the federal government to channel an additional RM1.2 billion to ensure the issue is comprehensively addressed.
“This is Sabah’s right and we returned it, but when Sabah said they didn’t have enough money, we immediately helped, because this is a trust,” he said, adding that more than 1,000 solar electricity poles have been installed in Sabah’s interior areas through the Solar Madani initiative, making the state one of the earliest recipients of the programme.
Anwar said the federal government also does not dismiss the people’s complaints about basic infrastructure like roads, as he himself experienced driving on potholed roads during his working visits to the state.
Touching on the issue of the people’s economy, Anwar said the increase in the minimum wage is proof of the government’s commitment to improving the workers’ standard of living.
He said the minimum wage, which was previously RM1,200, has been raised to RM1,500 and is now RM1,700, and the government is optimistic about continuing to increase it if the country’s economic position improves.
“If the economic situation is good, I am confident we can raise the salary further,” he said.
– Bernama
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