KOTA KINABALU, May 20 — Sabah only began to develop properly when the Barisan Nasional (BN) government took over from local parties in 1994 after 31 years of various local administrations, Sabah Umno chief Datuk Bung Moktar Radin said today.
He said that while there have been calls for local parties to govern the state, BN‘s proven track record of development and its ability to deliver long-term progress and stability cannot be ignored.
“The reality is Sabah was governed by local parties from 1963 to 1994, but that period brought only limited progress because local parties were often embroiled in internal conflicts and power struggles, focusing more on political manoeuvring than on governance and development,” he said.
“Despite having abundant resources and revenue, these were not channelled towards meaningful development. Many rural areas were left behind, infrastructure remained poor, poverty worsened, and there was no structured development plan due to frequent changes in government during that time,” he said.
Bung said “true change” and political stability only began when BN took over in 1994. With strong ties to the federal government, the coalition was able to deliver critical infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals, and the Pan Borneo Highway.
“With a stable government, BN was able to focus on development throughout Sabah. Rural development accelerated during BN’s 24-year rule. This ability to deliver progress did not come from slogans but from stability, experience, and a strong administrative network between the state and federal governments,” he said.
Bung also said Umno Sabah was not opposed to the principles of power-sharing but urged the public to consider the state’s political history fairly.
“Sabah’s political unity cannot be achieved through public statements, sentiments, and emotions. It must be built on clear policies, stable governance, and sincerity in serving the people. A state government cannot develop if its relationship with the federal government is turbulent,” he said.
“Sabah’s political reform must not sow seeds of deep-seated hatred, because, in the end, it is the people—not the politicians—who will bear the consequences,” he added.
When Malaysia was formed in 1963, Sabah was initially governed by UPKO and subsequently by a series of local parties, including Sabah Alliance, United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), BERJAYA, and finally Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).
PBS won the 1994 state election by a narrow margin but was toppled within a month following defections to Umno, which became the first non-Sabah party to govern the state.
