Tinggalkan politik kaum, bersaing dengan dasar dan prestasi, kata Mustapha

Mustapha Sakmud, the Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan Negeri Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for Sabah, emphasized the need for Malaysian politics to move away from identity-based politics and instead compete on the basis of performance, achievements, and the well-being of the people. This message was reiterated during the PKR National Congress 2026.

Mustapha argued that Sabah's diverse ethnicities, religions, and cultures are a strength, and the people's concerns today should not be based on which tribe or religion they belong to, but rather on who can solve problems and meet their needs. He highlighted that the people of Sabah are becoming more mature and should not be manipulated into narrow tribal and identity-based politics by certain groups.

Mustapha advocated for a needs-based economy, where government subsidies and assistance should be determined based on the actual needs of the people, development disparities, income levels, and the geographical realities of a region, rather than solely based on ethnicity or a one-size-fits-all approach. For Sabah, he stressed that this principle is crucial in addressing issues such as fuel subsidies, education, healthcare, water, electricity, highways, internet, and rural development.

Specific examples include increasing the allocation for Sabah from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion under the federal government's management, demonstrating how addressing needs and development imbalances can be accomplished through a needs-based approach. Mustapha also emphasized that the resolution of Sabah's rights to 40% of the net federal revenue earned from the state should continue to be a priority, in harmony with the Constitution and the MA63 spirit (Malaysia Agreement 1963).