Lahad Datu’s wealth overshadowed by high living costs, poverty, and infrastructure gaps, says rep

KOTA KINABALU (Dec 16): Despite generating billions of ringgit in exports for Sabah, Lahad Datu continues to grapple with high living costs, rising poverty and inadequate basic infrastructure, Silam assemblyman Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal told the State Assembly on Tuesday.

Participating in the debate on the Sabah 2026 Budget, Yusof described Lahad Datu as an “economic contradiction”, rich in resources but burdened by social and infrastructure challenges that continue to affect ordinary residents.

While Lahad Datu recorded RM11.97 billion in exports in 2024, he said the median monthly household income in the district stands at only RM4,457, well below the cost of living.

According to the Sabah Socioeconomic Report 2024, the district has the highest Reasonable Living Expenses (PAKW) in Sabah at RM5,680 per month, exceeding both the state average and Kota Kinabalu.

“This means families in Lahad Datu are living in deficit every month. They are not poor because they are lazy, but because the cost of living here is the highest in Sabah,” he said.

He warned that the income-cost gap has contributed to worsening poverty levels, with Lahad Datu listed among districts with the highest incidence of hardcore poverty in 2022. Absolute poverty rose from 19.3 per cent in 2019 to 23.5 per cent in 2022, affecting an estimated 14,000 households.

“This is happening in the shadow of vast oil palm plantations and a port that generates billions. It is an irony we should be ashamed of,” he said.

Yusof also highlighted underemployment among youth, noting that nearly 70 per cent of Lahad Datu’s 253,700 residents are of working age. However, the growing number of self-employed workers suggests a lack of quality jobs.

“Our youth should be engineers or estate managers, but many are forced into informal work such as e-hailing or roadside trading just to survive,” he said.

On infrastructure, Yusof raised several urgent issues affecting Silam, including badly damaged roads near the Sports Complex roundabout and Reno Fajar housing area, as well as internal roads within the Lahad Datu Sports Complex.

He urged authorities to resolve jurisdictional disputes involving local councils, developers or state agencies, stressing that public safety must take precedence over bureaucratic procedures.

He also called for immediate attention to the deteriorating seawall along Jalan Pantai near Hotel De-Leon, describing it as a neglected asset with tourism potential.

Among projects he wants prioritised for federal consideration are the upgrading of Lahad Datu Health Clinic, a former hospital dating back to 1913, the long-delayed construction of the Tahfiz Model Ulul Albab (TMUA) religious secondary school and the installation of floodlights at the Lahad Datu Sports Complex.

Yusof further highlighted chronic flooding in Kampung Sepagaya, unresolved drainage issues in several areas, and the lack of clean water, electricity and proper road access in Pulau Sakar and surrounding villages.

He also urged the state to expedite the construction of new fish, chicken and vegetable markets in Lahad Datu town, citing the poor condition of existing facilities.

In addition, Yusof appealed for compassionate handling of land compensation related to the Pan Borneo Highway project in Jalan Silam, involving both titled landowners and long-time residents living along road reserves.

“All these are basic needs that the people of Silam have waited for far too long,” he said, urging the state government to ensure that Lahad Datu’s economic success translates into tangible improvements in the lives of its people.