Lamag assemblyman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin has urged the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government to treat the upcoming state assembly sitting as an opportunity to confront major governance issues, not to conceal them.

Bung who is Sabah Umno chief said the session must serve as a genuine forum to address public concerns — not a political performance – being the possibility that the sitting next week could be the last before the Sabah State Legislative Assembly is dissolved for the state election. 

“This is not just another routine sitting. It could be the final one before the state polls. It should be used to honestly debate issues affecting the people, not to hide weaknesses or control narratives,” Bung said in a statement in Kota Kinabalu on Saturday. 

He cautioned the government against underestimating the people’s demands for transparency on matters such as large-scale investments, economic agreements, land and mineral resource management, and high-value development projects.

“Sabah cannot continue to be a state that’s only ‘rich on paper’ while the people remain trapped in hardship, unemployment, and a growing urban-rural divide,” he said.

Bung stressed that the legislature must not be used to silence dissent, especially through the use of majority control.

“If GRS has nothing to hide, then present the facts and data. Don’t make excuses or run away from debate. Open the floor for real discussion,” he added.

He also called on all assemblymen — regardless of affiliation — to put the state and people’s interest above party lines.

“Many questions remain unanswered. The people of Sabah are waiting. Don’t disappoint them again,” he said. – April 12, 2025