Arfanshah charts vision to transform Darau under BN’s RPS1 Blueprint

IN the lead-up to the 17th Sabah State Election, Barisan Nasional (BN) has unveiled its ambitious manifesto, the Rancangan Pembangunan Sabah Satu (RPS1), a comprehensive blueprint designed to accelerate development, uplift communities, and ensure every Sabahan shares in the state’s growth.

BN candidate for Darau Arfanshah Abdul Gafar, who also serves as Umno Sepanggar Division Youth chief, describes himself as an “underdog” driven by a strong desire to bring meaningful change to his constituency.

“Throughout the campaign over the past week, voter reception has been very positive. Although not everyone, I can say that in 80 per cent of the areas we visited, the response was very good,” he said.

Arfanshah’s campaign is firmly anchored on BN’s six key thrusts under RPS1, which include economic prosperity, higher quality of life, empowerment of women and youth, quality education, political transformation via good governance, and the sustainable management of Sabah’s natural resources.

“This RPS1 was carefully formulated through collective discussion and refined after taking into account the needs of all Sabahans. Politics is not the end goal, but a platform to develop Sabah,” BN Sabah treasurer Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak emphasised during the manifesto launch on Nov 22 in Kota Kinabalu.

For Arfanshah, these policy pillars align seamlessly with his plans for Darau, beginning with strengthening governance and coordination among government agencies.

“First of all, my main focus is to strengthen governance among all the agencies involved. We will mobilise these agencies as one unit in line with their respective duties and expertise.

“We will also review the budgets announced by the Prime Minister, and I will personally monitor the governance of the flood mitigation system.”

He stressed that water supply disruptions remain one of the most pressing concerns for residents in Darau, especially given its proximity to the state capital.

“As an area so close to the state capital, issues such as water supply cuts are extremely disappointing. In the short term, we will work with the State Water Department to deliver clean water through tanker lorries in a systematic manner.

“In the long term, the main priority is expanding existing water tanks, such as the Inanam Laut tank for Darau. I will also monitor the reports on the amount of water channelled from Telibong 2 to my area.”

On electricity supply, Arfanshah noted that while outages do occur, especially during bad weather, the situation is not as severe as in other constituencies.

“In my area, electricity problems are not frequent. However, outages do happen during bad weather. Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) has performed well so far. That is why I need to establish the Darau People’s Complaints Centre to address any issues that arise.”

He also highlighted the importance of exploring renewable energy sources, which he believes hold major potential for Sabah due to its geographical position along the equator.

“Alternative energy sources are closely linked to our country’s position along the equator. There is great potential for renewable energy to help address issues, especially electricity.

“We can and will pursue this not only for Darau but to help other areas across the state.”

Arfanshah said that public safety and disaster preparedness also depend heavily on functioning infrastructure such as street lighting, which requires consistent and planned maintenance.

“Of course, our agencies must be strengthened to ensure regular and continuous maintenance so that street lighting remains in optimum condition. We often overlook this, and in emergencies, things can go from bad to worse. Additionally, we must increase the budget to install as many solar lights as possible in flood-prone areas.”

He stressed the need for transparency in development projects and wants progress updates to be shared openly with the public.

“In my opinion, there must be clear and transparent progress reports for every project. These must be presented to the people so they can follow the real situation on the ground.”

Under RPS1, BN pledges free education for B40 students in state-owned higher education institutions, along with one-off incentives for students pursuing diploma or degree programmes. This includes expanded opportunities in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), something Arfanshah believes will greatly benefit youth in Darau.

“Young people should not just sit in the background; we need to be part of the decision-making. This is the BN change that opens opportunities for the younger generation to lead and drive transformation,” he said.

Looking ahead, Arfanshah shared his personal aspirations should he be elected to serve the people of Darau.

“My hope, if chosen as the elected representative for N17 Darau, is to see real change in this area. Within five years, there must be issues that I can resolve for the people. This is my commitment.

“I also want the ‘People of DUN Darau’ to work together with me. Without everyone’s support, we cannot move forward together with the hashtag #BinaDarauBersama.”

With nearly 60 per cent of Darau’s voters being youths, Arfanshah believes this election is a crucial opportunity to shape a new era of development, accountability, and prosperity for the constituency.

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