Sabah’s Ballot, Sabah’s Voice
As the state heads to the polls, Sabahans are asking a deeper question — will this election finally give them the dignity and autonomy they’ve long been promised? Every few years, Sabah becomes the darling of Malaysian politics. Suddenly, federal leaders descend on Kota Kinabalu with pledges of progress, promises of development, and talk of honouring the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63). And every few years, after the ballots are counted, the attention fades. The roads remain uneven, rural schools still lack basic facilities, and the familiar feeling of neglect returns. This is the pattern Sabahans know all too well — a state rich in resources but poor in returns, abundant in political attention but short on sustained respect. But this coming state election feels different. Not because the names on the ballot are new, but because the political mood has changed. Younger Sabahans, in particular, are restless. They are better informed, more connected, and far less patient with empty rhetori...