Playing Up State, District Sentiments Will Hold Malaysia Back - PM Anwar

SANDAKAN, Nov 26 (Bernama) – The country cannot move forward if governments, whether at the federal or Sabah state level, continue to be influenced by state or district sentiments, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today.

According to him, the state government formed in Sabah after the 17th State Election should foster good cooperation with the federal government, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) ready to offer its support to ensure this.

“Playing up state or district sentiments, we will not succeed,” he said.

“I know this is campaign season but beyond that, we must remain mindful of what is truly at stake for our future,” he said at a dinner with the Chinese community here tonight.

Anwar also expressed hope that the PH candidates - Vivian Wong Shir Yee in the Elopura seat, Tang Szu Ching in Tanjong Papat, and Datuk George Hiew Vun Zin in Karamunting - will secure a simple majority in the 17th State Election.

The Prime Minister also said that the federal government would introduce adjustments and improvements to the implementation of the e-Invoice system and the Sales and Service Tax (SST) to ease the process for small companies.

He acknowledged that while the introduction of e-Invoices is a positive step, its implementation has posed challenges for smaller businesses.

“I have listened to these concerns and am prepared to make the necessary adjustments, but I cannot announce them yet as we are currently in the campaign period,” he said.

“I also want to emphasise that the federal government is listening. We will refine and coordinate both the implementation of e-Invoicing and the SST,” he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister attended a get-together with Hiew and local community at the Karamunting District Polling Centre (PDM).

He was welcomed on arrival with a lively kompang performance by the Al-Falah Group of Kampung Karamunting, after which he spent about 30 minutes meeting and engaging with members of the local community.

Tonight, Anwar is scheduled to attend the Ceramah Perdana PMX Sayang for the Merotai state seat at the Merotai Multipurpose Hall in Tawau.

The Prime Minister, in a Facebook post, urged Sabah youth to strive for excellence in their respective fields and become key drivers of progress for both the state and the country.

He also emphasised that sustained development and strong collaboration can only be achieved through the election of effective leadership, particularly as Sabah heads to the polls this Saturday.

“I also reminded the audience that the federal government allocates around RM17 billion to Sabah every year, compared with the state’s own revenue of RM10 billion - and we are certainly not taking Sabah’s revenue or assets, as claimed by some quarters,” he said.

The Prime Minister said this commitment reflects the federal government’s ongoing efforts to drive Sabah’s development in a holistic and sustained manner, ensuring that the state’s youth - and Sabahans as a whole - are not left behind in the nation’s progress.

The 17th Sabah State Election, comprising 73 seats, will be held this Saturday. For the latest updates on the polls visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, at the dinner, stressed that it was the Unity Government, not the opposition, that had taken concrete steps and shown commitment to implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

He said the Unity Government had, among others, returned the regulatory authority over electricity supply to the Sabah government and resolved several key infrastructure issues in the state.

“Who worked to restore these regulatory powers? The Pakatan Harapan government… the Unity Government. Not the opposition, nor those who continue to play on state sentiments,” he said.

Anwar said these efforts were made possible through the strong cooperation built between the Sabah and the federal governments.

He added that the Unity Government under his leadership has consistently provided support and encouragement to address development and infrastructure issues in Sabah.

This includes a firm commitment to ensuring that the Pan Borneo Highway project is completed according to schedule. 

-- BERNAMA