Kota Kinabalu: Sindumin Assemblyman Yusri Pungut called on the Sabah Government to ensure State Budget 2026 allocations are distributed fairly to all constituencies, including those held by the opposition, warning against political discrimination in development spending.
Speaking during the State Budget 2026 debate, Yusri said development funds should benefit all Sabahans, regardless of their political affiliation, in line with the constitutional principle of equality before the law.
“As a government given a mandate, policies and development projects must benefit the people without regard to political ideology. This includes constituencies represented by the opposition, such as Sindumin,” he said.
Yusri, who is from Parti Warisan, said while he won the Sindumin seat with 5,086 votes, the constituency has more than 66,000 residents, many of whom did not vote for him but still depend on government assistance.
“Should these people be punished simply because their elected representative sits on the opposition bench? That would be unfair,” he said, urging the government to break away from the old practice of denying opposition-held areas adequate funding.
Despite raising concerns, Yusri said Warisan lawmakers do not oppose the tabling of the State Budget 2026, but believe there is room for improvement.
“We have no objection to the budget being tabled. However, there are gaps and shortcomings that must be addressed based on the views and proposals raised by myself and other assemblymen,” he said.
Yusri also questioned the Sabah Government’s stance on the 40 per cent revenue entitlement, saying it has caused confusion among the public.
“The people are confused when the government publicly supports the 40 per cent claim but, in court, becomes a respondent opposing the Sabah Law Society’s action,” he said.
He referred to the High Court decision on Oct 17, 2025, which ruled that the 40 percent entitlement is a constitutional right of Sabahans, and asked whether the payment formula had been finalized and when payments would begin.
Disputing official data claiming that Sabah has zero hardcore poor households, Yusri said the statistics do not reflect the realities in rural areas, such as Sindumin.
“I challenge those who compile this data to come to my constituency. There are still families living in unsafe shelters, including persons with disabilities surviving on less than RM288 per capita a month,” he said.
“Hardcore poverty in Sabah is not zero. That is the reality on the ground.”
Yusri also raised concerns over long-abandoned infrastructure projects, including bridge construction works in Sipitang and Beaufort that have remained unfinished for more than a decade.
“Villagers keep asking why these projects have been stalled for so long. There must be accountability,” he said, questioning the roles of the Public Works Department and contractors involved.
Welcoming the RM6.592 billion investment at the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP), Yusri urged the government to ensure local communities benefit directly.
“What guarantees are there that local people will gain employment and share in the economic returns from this multi-billion-ringgit investment?” he asked.
He also expressed disappointment that Sindumin was excluded from allocations for agricultural produce collection centres, new markets, and weekly tamu, despite Sipitang’s strategic position as a gateway bordering Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan.
“This is about fairness, inclusivity, and delivering real benefits to the people,” Yusri said. “That is what the spirit of a Madani government should be.”
