MEDIA STATEMENT: 2 MARCH 2026 - The major floods
that struck Sabah last February led to several districts being
declared disaster areas with thousands of residents forced to
relocate to Temporary Evacuation Centres.
This situation
not only affected the safety and well-being of the people but also
resulted in the destruction of property and serious disruptions to
the state’s economic activities.
I had already
recommended to the Chief Minister and the State Government back in
January to declare flooding the Number One Threat to Sabah after
taking into account the recurring devastation experienced by the
people as well as economic losses amounting to hundreds of millions
of ringgit each year due to increasingly severe weather changes.
I do not know
whether this recommendation was given due consideration but it can
certainly be raised by Members of the Sabah State Legislative
Assembly at the upcoming sitting.
The state
leadership cannot continue to blame high rainfall or tidal phenomena
as the main causes of the increasingly frequent major floods. The
same excuses have been used for the past decade. Therefore, it is the
responsibility of the current government to formulate and implement a
flood mitigation plan that is truly effective, comprehensive and
capable of delivering long-term impact.
The mitigation
plan must not be prepared in silos by a handful of officers within
certain ministries or departments. It must be developed inclusively
through continuous engagement involving geological associations,
engineering bodies, public universities, NGOs, political parties and
village residents who are directly affected. The voices of local
communities who face floods year after year must be given serious
consideration in the policy planning process.
There are also
allegations from villagers that the severe flooding in their areas is
caused by hill-clearing activities for logging and development
purposes. If a thorough investigation is not conducted, the risk of
recurring floods in the same areas will continue to haunt the people.
Given that the
Chief Minister and members of the State Cabinet have recently taken
the Corruption-Free Pledge (IBR), this pledge should be translated
into concrete action by requesting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) to conduct investigations should there be
allegations of abuse of power involving state government officers,
politicians or companies in hill-clearing and development activities
that may have contributed to the floods.
Such allegation
by villagers is precisely the reason why Parti Warisan insists on the
establishment of a State Ombudsman Committee. This committee would
have the authority to hear and investigate complaints or allegations
concerning any decision or action by state government officials that
may have adversely affected the interests and livelihoods of the
people of Sabah.
An independent
system of check and balance is crucial to ensure transparency and
accountability in the state administration.
I would also
like to ask why the Prime Minister and the top leadership of the
Federal Government from Peninsular Malaysia have not visited the
affected areas to personally assess the suffering of the people of
Sabah and to provide assurances of financial assistance, whether for
the restoration of infrastructure and utilities or to assist
residents who have lost or suffered damage to their property.
Is the absence
of the said official visit within 14 days of the flood disaster
linked to the fact that the State Election has already passed and
therefore Sabah is no longer a priority?
It is impossible
that they were unaware, as the floodings that hit this state received
widespread coverage for nearly two weeks in the national media.
Nevertheless,
the absence of the nation’s top leadership at a time when the
people of Sabah are suffering the impact of a natural disaster proves
an important point — that this state deserves equitable treatment
and immediately federal attention.
Sabah is capable
of weathering any major calamity on its own, just as Shafie Apdal
acted swiftly in the interest of the people of Sabah during the
Covid-19 pandemic without waiting for assistance or instructions from
Muhyiddin Yassin, who was the Prime Minister at that time.
Sabah must move
from crisis management to strategic prevention to ensure that the
state’s development and economic activities are not disrupted.
Parti Warisan
will continue to champion policies that are centred on the interests
of the people of Sabah, ensure their safety is prioritised and demand
an administration that is transparent, accountable and courageous in
carrying out reforms for the future of this state.
Christopher
Masudal
Strategic
Communications Director
Parti Warisan
