TELUPID: Despite Telupid being named Malaysia’s happiest town for 2025 under the district council category, villagers living deep in its interior say there is little to be happy about as they continue to struggle with basic needs that have gone unresolved for decades.
Telupid, located about 200km or a four to five-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, is surrounded by remote kampungs where residents say everyday life is defined by water disruptions, frequent electricity cuts, treacherous roads and poor access to health services.
At the Telupid tamu, 21-year-old Safarina Iswanti from Kampung Gambaron II said the village still relies heavily on gravity-fed water that turns murky during rain and dries up completely during drought.
“Sometimes the taps are dry for days. We end up going to the river. We just hope for a proper, consistent supply,” she said when met at Tamu Telupid on Sunday (Nov 23).
Job opportunities are another major concern for young people, with most leaving for Kota Kinabalu or Sandakan.
“There are very few chances here. Most employers here also don’t provide proper EPF contributions for workers,” she added.
For 62-year-old Lucia Gomurong, who moved to Kampung Bobotong under the Tongod area, the biggest problem is the condition of the roads connecting their settlement to Telupid town.
“The road is full of deep potholes, and our vehicles break down all the time. When it rains, the small streams turn into big rivers. It becomes dangerous,” she said, adding that a motorist died earlier this year after being swept away.
She also said communication remains a daily struggle.
“There’s no network signal at all in the village. We have to drive out just to get any coverage,” she said.
Nearby in Kampung Limbasan Wonod, 62-year-old Solia Gimbu said villagers there face the same daily uncertainties.
“Electricity cuts can last for hours, sometimes a whole day. Our food in the fridge goes bad,” she said, adding that villagers have repeatedly asked for water tanks but the requests often go unanswered.
Land issues also surfaced, with one resident claiming disputes and slow processing had left many smallholders uncertain about their future despite decades of working the land.
As campaigning intensifies, Barisan Nasional candidate Benedict Asmat said the people’s concerns are valid, noting the urgent need to improve healthcare, including upgrading the Telupid clinic to a hospital and establishing a dialysis centre.
He also pledged to set up an education fund to assist students from low-income families, saying many in Telupid struggle financially to pursue higher studies.
Though Telupid may carry the title of Malaysia’s happiest town, many of its interior residents are hoping that with the state election approaching, this will be the year long-standing promises are finally translated into real change.
The N47 Telupid seat has 14,965 voters and is witnessing a nine-cornered contest this election. Besides Benedict, the challengers include incumbent Datuk Jonnybone J Kurum (GRS), Jamin Jamri (Perikatan Nasional), Simah Matusip (Warisan), Pagrios @ Petrus Zabang (Parti Bangsa Malaysia), Michel Alok (Parti Impian Sabah), Felix Joseph Saang (Upko), Nilis Joseph (Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Malaysia), and Jikmariya Muran (Sabah STAR).
