A Warisan leader has criticised Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul for suggesting that Sabah’s youth could succeed if they are “brave and hardworking”.
Sepanggar Warisan deputy chief Ahmad Jais Otong described Johari’s remarks as “shallow and insulting”, saying they ignored decades of systemic neglect and the siphoning of Sabah’s natural wealth by the federal government.
Jais, who is Warisan’s candidate for the Karambunai seat in the Nov 29 state election, said Johari’s stance that “those who are hardworking can succeed” appeared to blame Sabahans for the poverty created by federal policies.
He highlighted ongoing issues in the state, including poor roads, inadequate schools, unsafe and unclean water supply, frequent power outages, limited job opportunities and low wages.
He told Jesselton Times that Sabah’s youth “cannot climb the ladder of success because the ladder has been sawed down by Putrajaya”.
He said Johari praised Sabah’s mountains, seas and culture during his visit, yet remained silent on how the state’s wealth had been siphoned off yearly by the federal government.
At a campaign stop for Pakatan Harapan in Putatan yesterday, Johari acknowledged that many Sabah youths begin on an uneven playing field but insisted they still have the opportunity to succeed.
He said no one in Malaysia is denied opportunity and that with courage and hard work, there are “no barriers in life”.
