17/12/2025
MAIDEN SPEECH IN THE SABAH STATE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY by Datuk Roger Chin
Tuan Speaker, dengan izin
Tuan Speaker, Honourable Members of this Assembly, and the people of Sabah,
I enter this Legislative Assembly conscious of the honour of this appointment, and with full respect for this House as the highest legislative institution of our State. It is precisely because I respect this Assembly that I believe honesty, clarity, and courage have a rightful place within its walls.
I am here with the same independence of thought that guided my work before entering this Assembly — an independence shaped not by politics, but by years of questioning why Sabah continues to fall short of its true potential.
Tuan Speaker, as this Assembly debates the State Budget, allow me to anchor my maiden speech within that context. A Budget is more than figures. It is a statement of what we are willing to fix, what standards we are prepared to enforce, and how seriously we take our obligations to the people. The points I raise today go to the foundations that determine whether any Budget, including this one, can genuinely deliver for Sabahans.
Clarity Is Not a Luxury
Tuan Speaker,
Allow me to share one reflection that illustrates a wider reality faced by many Sabahans.
After I wrote about Sabah’s 40% entitlement, I received a message from an ordinary Sabahan. He said -
“If what you wrote is true, then for decades we were denied what was ours — and nobody told us.”
That message was confronting, not because it was emotional, but because it was honest. It revealed a truth many prefer not to repeat — that Sabahans have not only been denied resources, but denied clarity.
Silence has a cost. And Sabahans have paid that cost for far too long.
Sabah Has Been Held Back — Not by Fate, but by Decisions
Sabah’s struggles are not only the result of natural disasters. They are the predictable consequences of systems that have been allowed to weaken, stall, or serve the wrong interests.
Daily power cuts.
Dry taps.
Approvals that depend on who you know rather than what the law requires.
Institutions that bend when they should stand firm.
These are not inconveniences. They are failures — and failures have causes.
Sabah is not poor. Sabah has been poorly served.
Our people work hard. They endure quietly. But endurance should never be mistaken for acceptance. Sabahans want clarity, fairness, and standards — and they have waited long enough.
Standards Are Not Optional
Governance is not an exercise in comfort. It is the discipline to do what is necessary, not merely what is convenient.
I will not applaud half-measures.
I will not defend dysfunction.
This Assembly should never treat scrutiny as inconvenience.
If we are serious about Sabah’s future, then we must fix the foundations -
A planning system that obeys the law, not personalities.
Utilities that work every day, not only during press releases.
GLCs that serve the public interest, not political calendars.
A civil service with the freedom to say “No” — and the protection when they do.
These are the basics of a functioning state. A state that lowers its standards lowers its future.
Fix What Is Broken Before We Build What Is New
As this Assembly debates the State Budget, allow me to apply that principle in practical terms.
A serious government fixes what is broken before it builds what is new. Yet too often, budgets are more comfortable announcing new projects than confronting long-neglected ones.
Roads that are patched today and fail again tomorrow.
Clinics — especially in rural and semi-rural areas — where doctors and nurses serve with commitment, but facilities lag far behind what dignity and safety demand.
When these realities are raised, the response is familiar -
“This is under Federal funding.”
“This is not a State matter.”
That distinction may matter on paper, but it means nothing to the people who live with the consequences. Sabahans do not experience broken roads as “Federal” or “State”. They experience delays, damage, and risk. Healthcare does not fail by jurisdiction. It fails when responsibility is avoided.
Maintenance is not a lack of vision. Maintenance is respect.
If this Budget is to restore confidence, it must reflect a simple discipline - repair before expansion, fix before showcase, people before prestige.
In that context, I seek clarification on the allocation under Item S 26 in the Estimates — Contribution to Statutory Funds amounting to approximately RM2.2 billion — specifically which statutory funds are involved and the purposes for which these contributions are made.
MA63 — Not a Request, but a Contract
Tuan Speaker,
Sabah’s rights are not optional. They are not dependent on political mood. They are not bargaining chips.
They are the terms of our entry into Malaysia — affirmed in documents, in history, and in court.
The 40% entitlement is not a suggestion.
Autonomy is not decorative.
Legislative powers are not symbolic.
MA63 is not a negotiation in principle. It is a contract — and a contract must be honoured.
A federation built on fairness is strong. A federation built on convenience will eventually fail its people.
The Future We Owe Sabahans
Sabah’s future is not determined by natural resources alone. It is determined by our courage to build systems that match the ambition of our people.
Our young Sabahans are talented, hungry, and capable. What they lack is not ability, but a state brave enough to raise its standards — a state that allows them to say, without hesitation, “I can build my future right here.”
If we fail to build that Sabah, then all our talk of progress will remain noise.
The Role of This Assembly
This Assembly sets the tone for our leadership culture.
If we want Sabahans to trust us, then we must act like leaders worthy of trust. This House must be a place where firm debate and plain speaking are normal, not exceptional — and where respect is never compromised.
Fearlessness without respect is arrogance.
Fearlessness with respect is leadership.
A Clear Pledge
Tuan Speaker,
I will not participate in a culture of excuses, silence, or lowered standards that has stalled Sabah for decades.
I will defend Sabah’s rights.
I will defend Sabah’s dignity.
And I will defend the people who expect us to be braver than we have been.
If I fall short, I expect Sabahans to hold me accountable — firmly and openly.
Conclusion
Entering this Assembly is not a reward. It is a responsibility.
Sabah does not need more polite silence. Sabah needs honesty, discipline, and courage — the courage to demand excellence, to honour our rights, and to refuse the slow decline of lowered standards.
A new Sabah will not be built on fear.
A new Sabah will not be built on excuses.
It will be built on conviction — conviction that we deserve better, that we can do better, and that we must never again accept the bare minimum.
That is the Sabah I stand for.
That is the Sabah we must build — together.
Saya sedia berkhidmat.
Demi Sabah. Demi rakyat.
