Kota kinabalu: The people of Sabah are urged to choose representatives who can work and deal directly with the federal government to accelerate development, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Speaking at the ''PMX Sayang Sabah'' gathering here today, Anwar stressed the importance of supporting Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Zaidi Jatil in Bandau for the 17th Sabah State Election to ensure development agendas can be implemented smoothly.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar emphasized the necessity of electing a representative who can collaborate effectively with him and prioritize the needs of Bandau. He pledged that once Zaidi wins, he will give him a month to identify all the problems in Bandau, with a commitment to address them by the first week of January 2026 at the latest. Anwar's visit to Bandau, located about 124 kilometres from Kota Kinabalu and seeing a 13-cornered contest, follows reports that the constituency has strong potential for a PH victory.

The PH chairman also underscored his frequent visits to Sabah since becoming Prime Minister, pointing out his dedication to the state's development. He lauded Sabahans for their wisdom in maintaining multi-ethnic harmony, attributing the state's stability and peace to the willingness of its people to cooperate across ethnic, religious, and cultural divides. 'This state is peaceful because the people are wise. Different ethnic groups, different skin colours, different religions, yet all cooperate. That's why Sabah remains peaceful,' he said.

Anwar reiterated the federal government's commitment to returning 40 per cent of Sabah's revenue, noting that for the first time, both federal and state governments have reached an agreement to implement it. He also highlighted several significant measures taken by the government, including the highest civil service salary increase in history, raising the minimum wage to RM1,700, a 20 per cent pay cut for ministers, and his own decision not to take a salary as Prime Minister.