KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Political parties in the country need to move away from political narratives that compete to exploit racial and religious sentiments, and instead compete through policies, performance and their ability to provide a better quality of life for the people.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah state leadership council chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said politics that frightens one race with another or uses religion as a dividing line only serves to split the people.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) said the need to shift from identity politics to performance-based politics, measured through the economy, welfare and the people’s well-being, was also among the matters emphasised at the 2026 PKR National Congress.
“In Sabah, racial, religious and cultural diversity is a strength. The question for the people today is not which race or religion one comes from, but who is capable of solving their problems and meeting their needs.
“The people of Sabah are becoming more mature and should not be dragged into the realm of racial politics and narrow identity politics that are still being played by certain quarters,” he posted on Facebook today.
Mustapha said that based on this principle, Sabah PKR wants the “Needs-Based Economy” approach to be strengthened.
He said government policies and assistance should be determined based on the people’s actual needs, development gaps, income levels and the geographical realities of a particular region, rather than solely on race or a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
“For Sabah, this principle is important in matters involving fuel subsidies, education, healthcare, water, electricity, roads, the Internet and rural development. Those who are most in need must receive the appropriate attention and assistance, regardless of race or religion.
“That is the basis for Sabah Keadilan to seek the Federal Government’s consideration to review the diesel and petrol quotas so that they can meet the needs of the people of Borneo,” he said.
In addition, Mustapha said the increase in the Sabah Special Grant from RM600 million to RM1.5 billion under the MADANI Government administration was an example of how development needs and imbalances could be addressed through policy.
“At the same time, resolving Sabah’s right to 40 per cent of the net revenue derived by the Federal Government from Sabah must remain a priority, in line with the Federal Constitution and the spirit of MA63 (Malaysia Agreement 1963),” he said.
-- BERNAMA