Sabah polls: Pakatan’s Ruji Ubi vows new town vision for Merotai, cites lack of recreational areas

By MalayMail in November 16, 2025 – Reading time 2 minute

TAWAU, Nov 16 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Merotai state constituency, Datuk Ruji Ubi, wants to transform Merotai into a new town complete with recreational facilities for its residents.

The former Ministry of National Unity secretary-general said he would strive to transform Merotai into a new town if given the opportunity to become the Merotai assemblyman after the 17th Sabah state election on November 29.

“The people of Tawau are very fortunate, they have a sports complex and parks for recreation but for the youth in Merotai, in Kampung Kijang, in Kuala Merotai, in Semarak, in Bombalai, they have no recreational areas at all.

“If there is an open area that can be upgraded, and this honourable member has a special allocation, and being aligned with the federal government, I think it is not impossible to make it happen,” he said.

He told reporters after the Pasar Hotspring walkabout programme here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, according to him, is very concerned about the development of Sabah and the federal government has channeled a lot of aid and large development allocations to this state.

Today, the PH candidate spent time meeting the Chinese community in Pasar Hotspring and Pasar Sin Onn and asked voters to vote for candidate number four, which is him, in addition to distributing pamphlets regarding his vision and mission for Merotai.

A vegetable vendor at Pasar Hotspring, Voo Choi Kiaw, 76, hopes that the candidate is elected as he is always on the ground and could see the need to improve the market.

Voo, who is also a Merotai voter, knows the PH candidate and praised the efforts made by Ruji who had met Chinese traders in the market several times.

Another voter, Ho Cook Thai, 64, also agreed with Voo and hopes that the candidate is elected as he is always going to the ground to listen to the needs of the people.

Ruji faces a four-cornered contest from Parti Warisan Sabah which has fielded Merotai incumbent Sarifuddin Hata, Perikatan Nasional candidate Hasan Haris and Rhyme@Reymie Kassim of Parti Impian Sabah (PIS)