CHENNAI (Reuters) -The messaging platform Telegram on Friday told an Indian court it cannot monitor all the accounts it hosts to look for leaked customer data from India's Star Health, and will only block problematic content that is flagged to it.
PETALING JAYA: Budget 2025, the largest at RM421bil, has been criticised for its lack of strategic foresight, particularly concerning Sabah.
While the budget is the largest ever at RM421bil, the reality is that the allocation, despite its scale, lacks strategic foresight. While higher wages can boost consumer spending, they will also raise the cost of living, particularly in Sabah, which already faces high prices due to transportation and logistics challenges.
Furthermore, higher wages will not equate to greater disposable income if inflation rises concurrently, leaving workers struggling to keep up with rising expenses. The budget prioritises roads, utilities, and long-term projects, which, while beneficial, do not address immediate challenges such as access to working capital or market expansion.
Additionally, the unclear disbursement process raises concerns about whether local SMEs can easily access the available funds. This development marks a significant regional shift, and Sabah, with its geographic proximity and natural resources, is well-positioned to play a key role. The absence of a strategic federal plan risks missing out on spillover benefits, deepening the economic divide between East and West Malaysia as Nusantara attracts investments, talent, and trade.While Budget 2025 allocates RM6.7bil for Sabah, much of it is fragmented across multiple projects, lacking a cohesive economic strategy.
Without a strategic infrastructure and investment plan, these piecemeal projects risk falling short of delivering meaningful economic returns.The piecemeal nature of federal support for Sabah underscores a larger problem, which is the lack of a coherent economic strategy for the region.
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