Political Stability Key In Developing Sabah On Par With Sarawak - Masidi

KOTA KINABALU, July 26 (Bernama) -- Political stability and continuity of leadership are key to enable Sabah to achieve a level of development on par with Sarawak, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) deputy president Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said.

He pointed out that the political instability plaguing the state, which has 16 chief ministers compared to six premiers and chief ministers in Sarawak since 1963, has complicated efforts to resolve basic issues and the continued development of the state.

The Sabah Finance Minister said the state had to emulate the thinking and attitude of Sarawakians who prioritised political stability and continued development efforts to ensure the state could progress into the future.

"Compared to Sarawak, Sabah’s problem is the frequently changing governments. This itself shows how politically unstable (things are),” he told reporters after officiating the 2025 Gagasan Rakyat Women’s, Youth and Beliawanis Wings Conferences here today.

He said an important factor in maintaining political stability was to have a local party fully supported by the people, like Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), adding that Sabahans should be allowed to think and decide freely.

Egoistic attitudes in politics were still the main obstacle to political stability and cooperation between parties in Sabah, as every party wanted to win and not many wanted to really work hard, Masidi added.

"If we continue to hold on to the attitude of ‘ I must win, others must lose’, the people of Sabah will never be united ever. We need to consider the greater interest, to develop the state together,” he stressed.

He also cautioned that the wealth of resources owned by Sabah would never be fully used without unity and the willingness of leaders and the people to work hard.

-- BERNAMA