Kota Kinabalu: Nominated Assemblyman Datuk Roger Chin called for honest leadership and better governance, saying Sabahans have been kept in the dark about their rights for too long.
He said he received a message from a Sabahan after writing about the State’s 40 per cent revenue entitlement.
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“This person told me that if what I wrote was true, then for decades the people were denied what was theirs and nobody told them. Silence has a cost and Sabahans have paid that cost for far too long,” he said in his maiden speech when debating the 2026 State Budget, Monday.
The former Sabah Law Society President said the State’s problems are not just from natural disasters but from weak systems that serve the wrong people.
He pointed to frequent power cuts, water shortages and approvals that depend on connections rather than following proper procedures.
“These are not inconveniences. They are failures and failures have causes,” Chin said, adding that Sabah is not poor but rather it has been poorly managed.
He said he will not praise half-hearted efforts or defend broken systems and the Assembly should welcome tough questions, not avoid them.
Chin wants a planning system that follows the law, not personal favours. He wants utilities that work every day, not just when there are announcements to make.
He said government-linked companies (GLCs) should serve the people, not political agendas.
“A civil service must have the freedom to say ‘no’ and the protection when they do. These are the basics of a functioning state. A state that lowers its standards lowers its future,” he said.
“A serious government should fix broken things before building new ones. But too often, budgets focus on announcing flashy new projects instead of dealing with long-ignored problems.
“Roads that get patched but break again quickly and rural clinics where staff work hard but don’t have proper facilities,” he said.
He said when people complain, they are told these issues are Federal responsibilities, not State matters.
“That distinction may matter on paper, but it means nothing to the people who live with the consequences. Sabahans do not experience broken roads as ‘Federal’ or ‘State’. They experience delays, damage and risk.
“Maintenance is not a lack of vision. Maintenance is respect,” he said.
He said if the Budget is to win back people’s trust, the Government must repair things before expanding, fix problems before showing off and put people before prestige.
Chin also asked for details about the RM2.2 billion allocation for Statutory Funds in the Budget, wanting to know which funds will get the money and what it will be used for.
On the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Chin was firm that Sabah’s rights is not negotiable.
“They are not dependent on political mood and they are not bargaining chips. They are the terms of our entry into Malaysia, affirmed in documents, in history and in court.
“The 40 per cent entitlement is not a suggestion. Autonomy is not decorative and legislative powers are not symbolic. The MA63 is not a negotiation in principle. It is a contract and a contract must be honoured,” he said.
He said a fair federation is strong, but one built on convenience will eventually let its people down.
Chin said Sabah’s future depends on having the courage to build systems that match what its people can achieve.
“Young Sabahans are talented, hungry and capable. What they lack is not ability, but a State brave enough to raise its standards
“They need a State that allows them to say, without hesitation, ‘I can build my future right here’. If the State fails to build that Sabah, then all talk of progress will remain noise,” he said.
He said this Assembly sets the example for leadership. If leaders want people to trust them, they must prove they deserve that trust.
“This House must be a place where firm debate and plain speaking are normal, not exceptional. Respect must never be compromised.
“Fearlessness without respect is arrogance. Fearlessness with respect is leadership,” he said.
He said he will not accept a culture of excuses, silence or low standards that has held Sabah back for decades.
“I will defend Sabah’s rights. I will defend Sabah’s dignity. And I will defend the people who expect us to be braver than we have been,” he said, pointing out that being in the Assembly is not a reward but a responsibility.
“Sabah does not need more political silence. Sabah needs honesty, discipline and courage.
“A new Sabah will not be built on fear or excuses. It will be built on conviction.
“That conviction means believing the State deserves better, that it can do better and that it must never again accept the bare minimum. That is the Sabah I stand for.
That is the Sabah we must build together,” he said.
