Sabah chief minister says rural water projects to benefit from RM4b federal allocation

“TONGOD, May 20 — Over RM4 billion in allocations has been channeled by the Federal Government to Sabah to implement Rural Water Supply (BALB) projects, which will help address the water issues faced by rural residents. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the authority to implement these projects has also been devolved to the state government, and this year, over RM4 billion was channelled by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) for this purpose. “Last April, the Federal Government through KKDW handed over the authority to the state government to implement Water Supply projects with an allocation of over RM4 billion. I hope the Tongod district will also benefit, thereby overcoming the water problems faced by the residents here. “This is something that is constantly discussed with the federal government. If we discuss things prudently — many matters previously handled by the federal government or its departments in Sabah — over the last five years, the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government has seen a lot of power devolved to the state, including this water issue,” he said. He said this during his speech when officiating the 2026 Tongod District-Level Kaamatan Festival at the Dataran Rakyat Tongod Open Hall here today. Meanwhile, Hajiji emphasised that the spirit of cooperation between the state and Federal government must continue without sidelining Sabah’s interests, while at the same time safeguarding the interests of Malaysia as a nation. “Just because we are demanding state rights, we should not sour relations with the federal government. Instead, we must also develop our nation, Malaysia. Sabah is a state that co-founded Malaysia, so whatever we do must be done together. “This is what we need to do — let’s not fight with the federal government. It would be a loss for us because to develop Sabah, we need the assistance of the federal government,” he added. Even if Sabah’s revenue allocations increase in the future, including through the 40 per cent net tax repayment, he said Sabah still requires federal cooperation to continue growing as a developed state in Malaysia. At the same time, Hajiji stated that the Sabah government will continue to focus on the development of rural areas through the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) Development Plan, ensuring that the Tongod district is not left behind in the state’s wave of progress. He noted that throughout last year up until the middle of this year, Tongod has recorded a significant leap in infrastructure development, covering road networks, the economic sector, education, as well as potential for sustainable tourism. According to him, the state government is committed to upgrading the road networks connecting Tongod with outlying districts such as Keningau, Telupid, Sandakan, and Tawau to increase public mobility and stimulate downstream economic growth in the area. At the event, Hajiji also handed over 239 land titles, including PANTAS (Sabah Customary Land Communal Title) drafts, to Tongod residents, involving an area of 583.38 hectares of land. — Bernama

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