KOTA KINABALU: Warisan Vice President Datuk Junz Wong welcomed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement that Malaysians will soon be able to purchase subsidised diesel at RM2.10 per litre through a MyKad-based mechanism.
However, Wong said the Madani Government must show similar urgency in addressing the long-standing cost-of-living disparities faced by Sabahans.
He said the new diesel subsidy system is a notable improvement over the previous mechanism, which he described as cumbersome and impractical, especially for Sabahans who rely heavily on pickup trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles due to poor road conditions and limited public transport.
“The Government’s willingness to simplify the diesel subsidy system shows that Putrajaya can act quickly when weaknesses in a policy become apparent.
“That is why Sabahans are asking why the Federal Government has yet to meaningfully address the long-standing cost disparities between Sabah and the peninsula,” he said, Monday.
Wong said Sabahans continue to pay higher prices for food, consumer goods, construction materials, transportation and logistics despite being equal partners in the Federation since 1963.
He stressed that the issue goes beyond temporary subsidy programmes and requires structural solutions, including reducing high logistics and shipping costs, improving infrastructure, strengthening supply chains and expanding Sabah’s limited manufacturing base.
“Until these structural issues are addressed, Sabahans will continue to bear higher living costs regardless of temporary assistance measures,” he said.
Wong also said cost disparities exist within Sabah itself, with residents in rural districts such as Pitas, Tongod, Nabawan, Kalabakan and Beluran often facing even higher prices due to logistical challenges.
He said Sabahans contribute to the nation on equal terms through taxation and therefore deserve equal attention from the Federal Government.
Wong urged Putrajaya to develop a comprehensive long-term strategy to narrow and eventually eliminate the cost gap between Sabah and the peninsula through improvements in logistics infrastructure, port efficiency, transport connectivity, industrial development and rural supply chains.
“Sabahans are not asking for special treatment. We are simply asking for fair treatment.
“If the Government can move quickly to reform diesel subsidies nationwide, it should also be able to address Sabah’s long-standing cost disadvantages.
“Sabahans’ wellbeing matters too,” he said.
