KOTA KINABALU, SABAH, MALAYSIA Nov 17. 2025 – The Sabah People’s Coalition (GRS) today launched the Manifesto for the 17th Sabah State Legislative Assembly with the main concept “Our Home, We Protect” and the theme “Driving Sabah Forward, People Progressing”. This manifesto emphasizes two main objectives: strengthening the momentum of state revenue growth and socio-economic empowerment of the people, supported by the GRS administration’s performance record since 2021.
In the launch in Kota Kinabalu, the GRS manifesto, crafted based on four pillars – Sabah First (Sabah Prioritized), Sabah Forward (Sabah Moving Forward), Sabah Prosper (Sabah Thriving) and Sabah United (Sabah United) – is translated through 16 strategies encompassing various development agendas. It targets the five-year period (2026-2030) with a realistic approach based on the state’s fiscal capacity.
Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, GRS Deputy Secretary General, emphasized that this manifesto is not mere rhetorical promises, but grounded in concrete achievements.
“State development and resolution of legacy issues cannot be driven solely by selling promises and declaring opponents’ failures. The core to the effectiveness of any strategy and approach is a strong and stable state revenue capability,” he said.
State Revenue Momentum: 90.5% Surge Since 2021
GRS’s performance record shows a significant increase in state revenue under Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya 1.0 (2021-2025). The total revenue jumped from RM5.45 billion in 2021 to RM6.96 billion (2022), RM6.97 billion (2023), and RM6.84 billion (2024) – the first time breaching the RM5 billion threshold after decades hovering between RM3 billion and RM4 billion under previous administrations.
An increase of RM3.25 billion or 90.5 percent compared to RM3.59 billion in 2020 under the Warisan administration proves the effectiveness of GRS’s economic strategies, fiscal discipline, and good governance. Datuk Armizan said, “This is not only the highest record in Sabah’s history but evidence that our agenda is successful.”
Building on this momentum, the GRS manifesto targets an annual revenue increase of at least RM10 billion by 2030. Strategies include advocating for Sabah’s rights through the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), particularly the 40 percent special grant, strengthening existing economic sources, exploring new potentials such as the blue economy, renewable energy, digital economy, and carbon credit trading, as well as legal and institutional reforms for a conducive environment.
Additionally, GRS is committed to pioneering the establishment of the Sabah Children’s Future Investment Fund (Sabah Sovereign Wealth Fund) as a long-term investment for revenue sustainability. This fund is proposed to receive initial capital injection from current state reserves and annual additions from a portion of the 40 percent special grant rights, to be enjoyed by future generations.
Socio-Economic Empowerment: Focus on Human Capital and Infrastructure
The manifesto also emphasizes people-oriented strategies, including human capital development, resolution of basic infrastructure issues, job opportunities with decent income, access to affordable housing, increased social assistance, and strengthening unity and solidarity among the people.
“We are committed to developing Sabah with a realistic, pragmatic, and sustainable approach. With the people’s mandate in the 17th Sabah DU PRU, GRS is determined to drive a progressive Sabah and its people, while pioneering the building of a future for the children of future generations,” added Datuk Armizan.
The launch of this manifesto comes amid fierce competition among major parties that have previously led the state. GRS calls on all parties to present realistic manifestos with performance records, particularly the level of state revenue generation during their tenure, to ensure promises can be fulfilled within five years.
The GRS manifesto is expected to be the main guide for the election campaign, with emphasis on Sabah as the top priority in holistic development.
