KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government should adopt a more transparent approach to infrastructure development, particularly in the disclosure of project details and public spending, said an academic.
Universiti Teknologi Sabah senior lecturer Dr Jain Yassin said it was encouraging that the state government continued to prioritise basic infrastructure, particularly water supply and road connectivity.
“These are fundamental necessities that directly affect people’s quality of life and the state’s economic activities.
“However, beyond the amount of budget allocated for infrastructure, I believe we should pay greater attention to three important aspects: the rate of project completion, the quality and sustainability of infrastructure, and accountability and transparency in public expenditure.
“The Sabah government has to adopt a more transparent approach by publicly disclosing project contractors, contract values, implementation timelines and project progress.
“This should be a shared commitment between the state and federal governments to ensure that public funds are managed responsibly,” said Jain, who is also an adviser to the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia-SDG (Sabah region), in an interview with the New Straits Times.
He was commenting on the announcement by Sabah Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun that the state was expected to table a larger budget next year.
Beyond addressing basic infrastructure gaps, Jain said the state should focus on strengthening its economic capacity, diversifying its economy and developing new engines of growth.
He said Sabah should begin investing in new sources of economic growth.
“For instance, in preparation for Visit Sabah 2027, budget allocations should go beyond tourism promotion and attracting visitors.
“We need to prepare local businesses, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and communities to participate in the tourism value chain and capture the economic benefits.
“Similarly, with the Blue Economy already identified as an important development agenda, it is time to translate the planning into actual projects, investment and economic activities that create jobs and generate income for local communities.”