KOTA KINABALU, Nov 20 — Kepayan incumbent Datuk Jannie Lasimbang has pledged to donate her family land to build what would be Sabah’s first dedicated alcohol rehabilitation centre, a key plank in her election manifesto unveiled today.
The DAP candidate, who is seeking a third term, said the initiative is aimed at addressing a “critical gap” in the state’s healthcare services.
Lasimbang highlighted that the only existing service for addiction is a one-stop centre at the hospital, which she says is insufficient.
“There is no single alcohol rehab centre in the whole of Sabah,” she said. “You need a proper place with proper professional help.”
She has offered a plot of family land of just under half an acre in Penampang for the facility, which she said is not at risk of floods or landslides.
In another major push, Lasimbang also vowed to champion greater female representation in the state legislative assembly, calling for at least three of the six government-appointed nominated member seats to be filled by women.
Noting that women are “woefully under-represented,” she also pushed back against the perception that emotion is a weakness in female leaders.
“Emotion is not a weakness: it’s a strength because it drives empathy and action,” she asserted, citing the public passion in the Zara Qairina case as an example of emotion driving the demand for justice.
Her manifesto, themed Kepayan Haminku (”Kepayan My Home”), outlines six pillars focused on youth empowerment, women’s economic participation, and stronger governance.
Other key proposals include micro-grants for female entrepreneurs, an expansion of the Pink Bus service into Kepayan, and various community-led environmental initiatives.
