KOTA KINABALU: The infrastructure development priorities for Sabah under Budget 2026 can only succeed with a stable state government, says Sabah Umno secretary Jafry Arifin.
He said that the federal government's Madani Budget 2026 prioritises Sabah for national development, allocating RM6.9bil, up from RM6.7bil in 2025.
Jafry said that there is a concern about the state’s ability to fully benefit from the allocation without a stable and focused leadership.
“The budget reflects strong federal support, its success depends on effective governance at the state level.
“But large allocations alone will not yield results if the state continues to be governed by unstable leadership lacking focus on implementation,” he said in a statement.
Jafry said that in the post-2018 period, the frequent changes in government led to delays, cancellations, and arbitrary changes in projects caused disruption and undermined public confidence.
He said the persistent neglect of rural areas left people continuing to face poor road conditions, unreliable water and electricity supply as well as limited access to education and healthcare.
“If Sabah truly wants to benefit from this RM6.9bil allocation, the distribution must be fair and targeted toward rural areas that are still lagging behind. “Development must not be concentrated only in major cities — it must be inclusive and balanced across the state,” he said.
He said that the state needs a “principled and visionary leadership” that was followed by the Barisan Nasional to maintain and enhance public projects without disruption.
“If Barisan is given the mandate to govern Sabah again, we will ensure every ringgit of development funding is implemented transparently, swiftly, and with direct impact — especially for rural communities who need it most,” he added.
He said a stable government is essential not only for policy continuity but also for attracting investment, strengthening public trust, and ensuring development momentum is sustained.
