Kota Kinabalu: Karambunai Assemblyman Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan voiced support for the 2026 State Budget, but warned that fiscal discipline must translate into real improvement for the people.
Aliakbar praised the RM6.4 billion Budget with a RM28 million surplus.
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He, however, said “every ringgit must reach the people” of Karambunai and Sepanggar.
He lamented many longstanding issues remain unresolved despite repeated allocations, noting how the people still face poor roads as well as water and electricity supply problems.
“Many roads are frequently damaged and full of potholes, with repairs carried out only after the complaints start getting public attention” he said.
He underlined informal settlements which continue to rely on unsafe electricity lines, creating hazards and wider social challenges.
Water supply is often disrupted due to high non-revenue water losses and illegal connections.
He urged the Government to focus on better implementation, including performance-based maintenance contracts for roads, integrated monitoring and enforcement to reduce water losses and audits of electricity networks in high-risk areas.
He also called for comprehensive mapping of illegal settlements, enforcement against new encroachments and phased, humane solutions for families who truly need support.
“Sabah is not poor. What is poor is implementation if we are not brave enough to change,” he said, adding that the Budget should be measured not by figures on paper but by its impact on the daily lives of residents.
