Do not compare Penang’s mega projects with one year of Sabah road funding, state PKR tells PAS rival

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 27 — Sabah PKR Information Chief Ahmad Farid Sainuri has emphasized that infrastructure development in Sabah remains a priority for the Madani Government, cautioning against direct comparisons with Penang's mega projects. He stressed that Sabah's roads necessitate urgent attention, particularly the accelerated completion of the Pan Borneo Highway to bridge the development gap between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.

Ahmad Farid clarified that the over RM21 billion allocated to Penang consists of large-scale infrastructure projects spread over multiple years, such as the Penang LRT project, airport, port, and cruise terminal expansions. He highlighted that Budget 2026 allocated RM15.9 billion for Sabah's Pan Borneo Highway Phase 1A and 1B, alongside RM8.81 billion for the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road Phases 1 and 2, and RM2.99 billion for the Trans Borneo Highway.

Comparing the total value of Penang's projects to a single year's allocation for Sabah's road maintenance is misleading, according to Ahmad Farid. He pointed out that nearly RM500 million has been approved for Kota Kinabalu International Airport, and RM120.9 million has been allocated for Tawau Airport's upgrade. Ahmad Farid stressed that development justice requires the Federal Government to address the unique needs of both states, with Sabah receiving greater attention to narrow its development gap.