SABAH BN UNVEILS SIX DEVELOPMENT THRUSTS, PLEDGES TO SOLVE CORE ISSUES IN ONE TERM - AHMAD ZAHID

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah is offering six development thrusts for the state, including a commitment to resolve long-standing fundamental issues within a single term, said its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Therefore, he urged the Sabahans to assess the manifesto as a genuine commitment rather than merely a political promise, even though the party recognises its position as an ‘underdog’ in the upcoming 17th Sabah State Election.

“Although BN is the underdog in this 17th Sabah State Election, rest assured that the people’s interest for BN remains very strong. Through this manifesto based on six thrusts, we want BN’s pledges to be a true commitment that will be fully implemented by BN Sabah,” he said.

“Rest assured, the contents of this manifesto are comprehensive and firmly focused on benefiting the Sabahans as a whole. No group will be left behind in the commitments outlined in this manifesto,” he said when speaking at the BN manifesto launch ceremony here today.

Also present were Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, BN Wanita chief Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, and UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

Ahmad Zahid said the manifesto - Rancangan Pembangunan Sabah Satu (RPS1), or the One Sabah Development Plan - unveiled today, was not drafted hastily, but was completed a week before nomination day on Nov 15. However, BN chose to launch it today to ensure the public has sufficient time to compare it with the offers of other parties.

He said his confidence in Sabah BN’s ability to fulfil its commitments is further strengthened by the dedication of Sabah UMNO chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who has remained with the people despite facing various tough challenges from his political rivals.

According to Ahmad Zahid, who is also the UMNO president, BN and Sabah UMNO have full autonomy to implement all the pledges outlined in the manifesto, in line with the authority granted by the party’s central leadership to the state.

Ahmad Zahid said that with 45 candidates fielded in the 17th Sabah State Election, he is confident that Sabah BN will be able to implement every plan comprehensively if it receives the people’s mandate on Nov 29.

He also emphasised the need to resolve fundamental infrastructure issues - including roads, water supply and electricity - which he described as the current priorities of the Sabahans.

“If BN is given the mandate again to govern the state of Sabah, insya-Allah, we will resolve this triple issue - water, roads and electricity - within one term,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said Sabah received the highest allocation under the 2026 Budget, reflecting the federal government’s strong commitment to the state’s development.

“If the mandate is returned to BN Sabah, I am determined to further increase allocations for rural areas,” he added.

Ahmad Zahid urged the BN machinery to engage with voters as frequently as possible, right down to the locality level, to ensure the manifesto’s message and the spirit of BN’s revival are fully conveyed.

In the upcoming 17th Sabah State Election, BN is contesting 45 out of the 73 state seats, with 81 per cent of its candidates being new faces, including nearly half who are professionals and young people.

Polling day has been set for Nov 29, while early voting will take place on Nov 25.

For the latest news on the 17th Sabah State Election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/sabah/index.php.

-- BERNAMA