SANDAKAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has pushed back against narratives portraying the Federal Government as biased towards Peninsular Malaysia, calling such anti-Malaya sentiment divisive and harmful to the country’s unity.
Anwar said the government’s policies have consistently taken into account the unique needs and challenges faced by Sabah and Sarawak, citing electricity tariff adjustments as a clear example of this.
“I made the decision to raise electricity tariffs for the rich in Peninsular Malaysia, but Sabah and Sarawak were not affected. This wasn’t a proposal from any Sarawak or Sabah party. It was a decision made by Malaysia, for all Malaysians.
“When electricity tariffs go up, they go up in Peninsular Malaysia but not in Sabah or Sarawak. And when tariffs go down, they go down in Peninsular Malaysia and in Sabah and Sarawak. Isn’t that fair?” he said.
Anwar said this at the launch of the Program Jelajah Wira Madani at the Sandakan Maritime Zone office, here, on Saturday (Sept 27).
The Pakatan Harapan chairman also criticised attempts by certain quarters to frame federal policies as neglectful of East Malaysia, warning that such rhetoric could undermine national cohesion and distract from substantive policy efforts.
“Why are people still trying to turn this into Sabah versus Malaya, or Sarawak versus Malaya? What is this? Malaysia has progressed, and the world respects us. Yet there are a few individuals who want to stir division and weaken the country,” he said.
The remarks come as Sabah prepares for its state election, with local political narratives increasingly focused on calls to reject peninsula-based parties. The sentiment that Sabah should only be governed by homegrown parties has strengthened in recent months.
