Vote Wisely Don T Be Swayed By Emotion Hajiji Tells Youth Dominating Voter Roll

---

 


SABAH POLLS | Almost one million young voters aged 18 to 39 are eligible to cast their ballots in the Sabah polls this year, making them the largest voting bloc among the 1.78 million registered voters across 73 state constituencies.
Their dominance positions youth voters as a decisive force that could shape Sabah’s political landscape in this election.
Aware of their growing influence, caretaker chief minister Hajiji Noor urged the 960,099 young voters to exercise maturity and discernment when choosing a government capable of driving sustainable development for the state.
“Vote wisely. Don’t be swayed by emotion. Use your judgement to assess our track record and achievements throughout the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) administration,” he said in a recent exclusive interview with Bernama at his official residence in Sri Gaya, Kota Kinabalu.
He stressed that the GRS-led state government continues to prioritise youth by introducing various initiatives to support their development as a key driver of progress and the state’s future direction.
Hajiji said Sabah has invested about RM1.3 billion over the past five years in scholarships, education aid and skills training, which are critical components in building a highly skilled, knowledgeable generation.
GRS chief Hajiji NoorAt the same time, he said leadership development, volunteerism and social unity programmes have also been expanded, alongside youth and women entrepreneurship initiatives such as the Sabah Youth Entrepreneurs Success Scheme to help small businesses take off.
“If we want Sabah to continue progressing, we must invest in young people. We want our people to be knowledgeable, capable and skilled so they can contribute to the state’s development.
“What we are doing today is for their future. Investment in our youth is essential. We are fighting for the next generation,” he added.
Youth development
Hajiji also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening youth development, saying this responsibility cannot be neglected.
Under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development roadmap, he said education and human capital development remain central priorities.
In fact, Hajiji said among the initiatives introduced over the past five years are a one-off RM200 assistance for nearly 40,000 Form 4 and Form 5 students annually, and RM145 million allocated this year for scholarships under the Sabah Education Fund.
Through the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat programme, nearly 100,000 recipients now receive RM300 monthly.
Under the Rumah Mesra SMJ housing initiative, an additional 10 units per state constituency will be reserved for newly married youth starting next year, amounting to 50 units per constituency, should GRS return to power, the chief minister noted.
On the GRS manifesto for the state polls, Hajiji said it continues to prioritise youth empowerment through dedicated programmes.
The manifesto, themed “Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga”, is driven by the four core pillars of Sabah first, Sabah forward, Sabah prosper and Sabah united, which will be translated into action via 16 strategies, covering a wide range of development agendas across various sectors.
GRS is contesting 55 of the 73 state seats. Polling is set for Nov 29, with early voting taking place tomorrow.
- Bernama

---