BONGAWAN: With unemployment and limited economic opportunities continuing to challenge young people in Bongawan, some community figures believe that the constituency would benefit from leadership with strong business and international experience.
Sabah Youth Council member Amir Akmal said economic revitalisation requires someone who understands entrepreneurship and local as well as global markets.
“Youth need a business father figure, someone they can depend on who understands the business world. As we all know, the business world has its own unique challenges and language,” he said.
Amir pointed to former foreign minister Tan Sri Anifah Aman, whom he credits with early success in business and later experience on the world stage.
“He was already in business at a very young age and hit success in his early 20s.”
“As a former foreign minister, he understands the international business world. I’m sure over nine years he has built many contacts,” Amir said, adding that such experience could be channelled into local development efforts in Bongawan.
Bongawan, a small town along Sabah’s west coast, has long struggled with limited job creation despite its strategic location near major roads and rail links.
Much of the local economy is built around small retail, fisheries, agriculture and services, offering few higher-value or specialised opportunities.
Youth unemployment is a broader issue across Sabah, where young people consistently make up a significant share of the jobless population. Many students from local schools in Bongawan and surrounding areas leave the area after graduation in search of work in larger towns and cities.
Local studies and development assessments have noted that Bongawan’s economic base remains narrow, with under-utilised potential in sectors such as logistics, tourism and downstream industries.
Community groups have repeatedly called for more investment, training programmes and industries that can absorb young talent.
In a recent statement, Anifah outlined a proposal to develop Bongawan into a new oil and gas hub in Sabah, referencing his earlier involvement in Kimanis, where the establishment of the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal spurred economic activity in that constituency.
Amir believes that such experience could translate into new opportunities.
He said Anifah’s exposure to international networks and economic issues could help connect local youths with emerging sectors, including the digital economy.
He also emphasised the need for leadership that can bridge local needs with external investment. “All this, he can bring down to Bongawan,” Amir said.
For many young people in Bongawan, the central concerns remain unchanged: job availability, sustainable industries and access to training and skills that match modern economic demands.
As discussions about leadership and development continue, residents are watching closely for concrete plans that can address long-standing economic challenges.
Amir expressed hope for a leader who can support youth aspirations and provide guidance.
“I urge youth to lean on him like children to a father. Give him the mandate to make all of his vision happen in Bongawan because when a person knows how to create wealth for himself, he can do it for others, especially the youth for Anifah himself started at their age,” he said.
