Can Sabah truly thrive independently of federal support?

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Sabah can survive on its own, but the question of thriving independently is tied to persistent state-level gaps
Caretaker chief minister Datuk Seri Panglima Mohd Shafie Apdal said Sabah can survive independently and pointed to Penang’s 10 years and Kelantan’s 40 years under Opposition rule as examples of states continuing without aligning with the Federal Government. He argued that Sabah has still suffered even after being with the Federal Government for 60 years, citing lagging amenities and school conditions. He also said Sabah’s resource wealth has not translated into downstream activities, while noting that the Warisan-led government had only two years to realise planned projects.
Shafie’s direct claim that Sabah can survive without federal alignment
Shafie stated that Sabah can survive “irrespective” of working with the Federal Government, and challenged the idea that survival requires federal alignment. He framed his argument by comparing Penang’s 10-year period under Opposition rule and Kelantan’s 40-year period. He added that Sabah’s experience of being with the Federal Government for 60 years had not prevented hardship.
Reported deficiencies in amenities and schools
He said Sabah continues to lag in amenities including electricity and water supplies as well as roads. He also described school conditions, saying many schools are still in wooden structures, some without electricity and water, and some without ample toilets, where pupils reportedly have to run to hills or forests. These points were used to illustrate that problems remain even under the current broader federal relationship.
Resource output versus limited downstream activity and poverty figures
Shafie highlighted that Sabah is a major producer of crude palm oil after Sarawak and is the second biggest in gas production, yet “sadly” lacks downstream activities. He said Sabah also has the largest number of hardcore poor reported by the World Bank in 2010, describing it as the biggest in this part of the world. His remarks linked the state’s resource base to unmet outcomes, especially on poverty levels.
Government timeline and planned projects during the Warisan-led administration
He said the Warisan-led government has been in power for only two years and could not realise many planned projects. One example he gave was a cable car connecting the city to resorts at Pulau Gaya. He also said that raising issues does not mean hating people from the peninsula, but concerns policies and how the country is managed.

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Can Sabah truly thrive independently of federal support?

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