PRESS STATEMENT
01 February 2026
1. As the Chief of Warisan Youth, I urge for a clear explanation regarding the expenditure of RM11.8 million for the upgrade of 26 toilets at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), which is estimated at around RM453,000 per toilet.
2. I do not dismiss the need to upgrade public facilities. However, the costs involved raise serious questions that should be transparently answered by the responsible parties.
3. The public has the right to know what the actual scope of work carried out is, how the costs were determined, and whether comparisons were made with similar projects at other airports to ensure that this expenditure is reasonable and provides value for the people's money.
4. General explanations such as phased implementation or 24-hour cleaning do not address the main question of why the cost per toilet reaches nearly half a million ringgit.
5. More importantly, I want to emphasize that expenditure priorities at an international airport should focus on safety aspects, including maintenance and upgrades of the runway and other critical infrastructure that directly impact flight safety.
6. “Toilets can be replaced, but lives cannot. Safety on the runway must always come first.”
7. Given that many people in Sabah still face issues of damaged roads, dilapidated schools, limited healthcare facilities, and water supply disruptions, every large expenditure must be accompanied by transparency and clear justification.
8. I urge that a breakdown of the full costs and an explanation of expenditure priorities be disclosed, so that the public can assess whether this project truly provides commensurate value for public funds.
END
Terence Au
Chief of Youth
Warisan Party
