SANDAKAN: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice president and Tanjong Papat CLC chairman Thomas Lau Chi Keong, has called on the government to immediately draft a “Sandakan Recovery Plan.”
This plan would focus on infrastructure upgrades, establishing an Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), developing tourism packages, and implementing mechanisms to retain local talent, aiming to rescue Sabah’s second-largest town from its long-standing development crisis.
Lau proposed that the State Government prioritize resolving Sandakan’s chronic issues of water supply, electricity, and road infrastructure, while making the UTC a top priority to enhance administrative efficiency and public service delivery. He also suggested setting up small and medium enterprise (SME) incubation centres to foster local entrepreneurship and industrial chain integration.
“We must adopt a more proactive approach to tourism by developing eco-tourism, historical and cultural tours, and food trails, positioning Sandakan as an international tourism transit hub,” he emphasized.
Lau highlighted Sandakan’s unique natural assets—such as the Kinabatangan River, tropical rainforests, and conservation areas—with high potential for international eco-tourism. However, he expressed frustration over previous governments’ lack of coordination and promotion, which left these resources underutilized and stifled economic growth.
He stressed that addressing skilled labour migration is critical to reviving the local economy. Lau urged elected representatives to establish technology and vocational training centres to boost youth competitiveness, noting that regional progress “depends entirely on a quality workforce,” and human capital development must be the government’s foremost effort.
“If we cannot retain local talent, urban development will remain empty rhetoric,” he warned.
Reflecting on past administrations, Lau criticized former leaders for failing to effectively plan Sandakan’s economic growth, particularly in SME and downstream industrial development.
“Sandakan’s progress has stagnated. Policies and resource allocation consistently marginalize us, forcing residents to fend for themselves,” he stated.
Lau noted that basic infrastructure issues persist across different governments, voicing disbelief that even a simple UTC remains unapproved—raising questions about administrative efficiency and governmental sincerity.
“A nation claiming to be democratic, yet subjecting its people to the same unresolved problems year after year without hope or change—this kind of democracy is a tragedy for the people,” he declared.
However, he praised Sandakan Municipal Council President Walter Kenson for achieving visible improvements in urban cleanliness within four months of taking office—”a commendable effort.”
Concluding his statement, Lau urged voters to choose wisely in the upcoming state election: “Elect visionary and actionable representatives from local parties. They must reclaim Sabah’s constitutional rights under the 1963 Malaysia Agreement (MA63)—our 20-point safeguards—so our state can truly emerge from crisis and move toward a new dawn.”
chronic issues of water supply, electricity, and road infrastructure.
