Sabah Maju Jaya Rings Hollow As People Struggle For Water Roads

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Warisan president Shafie Apdal has turned the “penjual ubat” label back on caretaker chief minister Hajiji Noor, accusing him of selling slogans instead of solutions while Sabahans continue to endure poor water supply, crumbling roads and under-resourced hospitals.
Shafie said Hajiji’s flagship Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) campaign sounded impressive but had failed to change daily realities on the ground.
“Hajiji can say we are selling medicine, but what medicine is he selling? Sabah Maju Jaya.
“He says he’s taking care of our house, but he doesn’t know there’s no rice in that house, and no water in that kitchen. What kind of house is that?” he asked.
ADSThe former chief minister was speaking during his speech in Sembulan last night.
Little relief to Sabahans
He further said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah administration’s five-year record had brought little relief to ordinary families.
“Don’t say schools have no water, even hotels in Kota Kinabalu have no water.
“They keep singing Sabah Maju Jaya. It sounds nice to the ear, but what does it taste like? Where is the progress?”
Shafie also took a jab at the GRS coalition itself.
“GRS - Gabungan Rasuah Sabah! These are not my words, that’s what people are saying.
“We want an efficient government, not one that keeps selling medicine,” he said.
Bernama earlier reported that Hajiji had introduced the “penjual ubat” taunt while launching the GRS election machinery in Kota Kinabalu on Oct 19, calling opposition promises unrealistic.
He singled out Shafie’s earlier pledge that Warisan could fix Sabah’s long-standing water crisis within a year and train 50,000 engineers as examples of political fantasy.
“Enough with selling medicine. Stop pedalling potions that only intoxicate the people who thirst for real solutions.
“Don’t be political shamans who promise everything and deliver nothing,” Hajiji said.
ADSHajiji insisted that his government had proven its capability through the Sabah Maju Jaya blueprint, which he credited for record-high state revenues and 18 ongoing water-infrastructure projects, including new treatment plants in Tawau and Papar.
Sabah caretaker chief minister Hajiji NoorIn his speech, Shafie dismissed those claims as “window dressing”, saying Sabah’s prosperity figures meant little when people still face water rationing and unreliable basic services.
“This election is not a game. We must choose a government that truly serves the people, not one that keeps selling medicine,” he said, adding the coming polls would determine whether Sabah continues with “cosmetic progress” or elects a government capable of delivering essential infrastructure and dignity to its people.
Shafie clarifies viral claim on KDMR poverty
Speaking to reporters later, Shafie dismissed claims that he called the Kadazan-Dusun-Murut-Rungus (KDMR) communities the poorest in Sabah, saying his remarks had been taken out of context.
“I didn’t say that. What I said was based on statistics and that is the eight of Sabah’s poorest districts happen to be KDMR-majority areas. It’s a fact," he insisted.
He explained that his statement was not meant to insult or single out any ethnic group but to highlight persistent inequality and the need for targeted development.
“It’s not about blaming anyone. It’s about what we can do to solve it. I want to help the KDMR people, that’s why I gave them land titles when I was in government,” he said.
Shafie said that during his administration, 418 land titles were issued in Tambunan and 2,800 in Keningau to indigenous villagers, and it was unfortunate that political opponents had distorted his remarks.
“Please don’t politicise poverty. When I said the poorest areas are mostly KDMR, it was based on data. The question is, what have we done to fix it?” he said. 
According to official statistics, the eight poorest districts in Malaysia are located in Sabah, with Tongod, Pitas, Tuaran, Ranau, and Kota Marudu being KDMR-majority areas, while Beluran, Kinabatangan, and Lahad Datu are not. - Mkini

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