SIPITANG, June 13  — The implementation of the Sabah Southern Madani Link (SSML) electricity grid project demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that development initiatives and basic amenities reach communities in Sabah’s interior regions.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the project is in line with the Malaysia Madani policy, which emphasises fair and equitable development, rather than concentrating progress solely in major urban centres.

He said genuine development would not have a comprehensive impact if basic facilities continued to bypass remote areas, particularly in Sabah’s interior.

“That is why I am deeply concerned and want to ensure that development is distributed evenly throughout every part of the state, including the interior. This is what distinguishes our approach from that of some other countries, where development is focused only on major cities,” he said when officiating the groundbreaking ceremony for the SSML project here.

Also present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.

The SSML project involves the construction of a 275-kilovolt (kV) electricity transmission line linking Sabah’s west and east coasts, playing a crucial role in strengthening the state’s power supply grid and balancing energy distribution across Sabah.

The project, which commenced on September 17 last year, is scheduled for completion on September 16, 2028, at a cost of RM198 million. As of May 26, the project had reached 17 per cent completion.

Anwar said the energy grid project carries significant importance as it requires the dedication and perseverance of workers who traverse the dense forests of southern Sabah to build electricity infrastructure for the people.

“I am moved and pleased to see those transmission towers stretching across the wilderness. Imagine the workers whose job requires them to enter the forests and leave their families behind, all to develop electricity supply infrastructure for the people of Sabah. To all of you, I extend my deepest appreciation for this sacrifice,” he said.

Commenting on criticism from certain quarters in Parliament over the substantial development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak, the prime minister said the government stood by its decision as part of efforts to narrow infrastructure development gaps in the two states. — Bernama