KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has gone from being a national key player under Barisan Nasional (BN) to merely a “passenger” under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government, says Libaran Umno deputy chief Datuk Mokran Ingkat.
Mokran, who is the incumbent Sungai Manila assemblyman, said that Sabah’s influence in the federal government had diminished under GRS, with the state now represented by only two full ministers.
“Under Barisan, Sabah wasn’t just administered — it was developed and elevated,” he said in a statement on Monday (Oct 13).
Mokran said that during the Barisan era, Sabah leaders held several ministerial portfolios.
Among them, he said, were Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili (Energy, Green Technology and Water), Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (Foreign Affairs), Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau (Science, Technology and Innovation), Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government), Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Salleh Said Keruak (Communications and Multimedia), the late Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department), Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development), Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin (Deputy Minister of Works) and Datuk Mary Yap (Deputy Minister of Higher Education).
He said the state’s growth was evident through major projects implemented during that period, including the Pan Borneo Highway, the Sandakan Education Hub, the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) teaching hospital, the People’s Housing Programme (PPR), and widespread broadband connectivity.
“What remains today are pictures of meetings, vague statements and slogans,” he said.
He added that GRS had failed to leverage its open channel and collaboration with the federal administration.
He also criticised GRS for playing up “local party” sentiments and using slogans such as “reject Malayan parties” to mask its shortcomings.
“Sabah must be a key player in national decision-making,” he said.
SABAH SARAWAK
POLITICS
