BNCom Libaran information chief Shariff Ismarhafiz Sh Abd Rahman said the dissolution of the Sabah state assembly should serve as an opportunity for voters to assess the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government’s sincerity and real performance, not be swayed by statistics or slogans of success.
He said that while the GRS government claimed a 94% success rate under its “Sabah Maju Jaya” (SMJ) development plan, Sabah continues to record the nation’s highest unemployment rate at 7.7%, more than double the national average.
“GRS can boast about 94% success in implementation, but the people live with a more painful figure, 7.7% unemployment, the highest in Malaysia,” he said in a statement.
He said behind the glossy videos and claims of progress, many Sabah youths were still struggling, with graduates forced to take gig jobs, drive e-hailing cars, or migrate to Peninsular Malaysia to survive.
“If this is what 94% success looks like, then Sabah is celebrating 94% moral and intellectual failure.”
Shariff accused GRS of managing perception rather than solving real problems, saying labour development policies remain misaligned with industrial needs and high-value investments have failed to materialise.
He described Sabah’s current state as “poverty of opportunity”, a resource-rich state but poor in employment prospects and future growth.
“Thousands of graduates are produced every year, but the job market cannot absorb them. This is not just an economic failure but a betrayal of youth aspirations.”
He urged structural reform, including the establishment of a Sabah Human Capital Development Council to coordinate education, TVET, and industry demands while attracting high-tech and digital-based investments.
“People are tired of cosmetic numbers. 7.7% is not just a statistic, it’s the cry of a disillusioned generation,” he said, adding that voters must use this election to break the cycle of failure.
“GRS may continue to flaunt its 94% success, but history will remember it as 94% perception and only 7.7% reality,” he said.
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