The Hidden Cost of Potholes: Reflections on Datuk Johnson Tee’s Wake-Up Call for Sabah’s Roads

 

                                                                    Bottomless Pit

In his latest column for The Borneo Post (19 July 2026), Datuk Johnson Tee pulls no punches. Titled “The cost of the pothole: Why Sabah’s crumbling roads are a national crisis,” the piece lays bare a problem many Sabahans live with daily: roads so damaged they’ve become a genuine public safety and economic emergency. Tee highlights a staggering official figure — over 73,000 potholes recorded on federal roads in Sabah between 2023 and 2024, with thousands more since.

Read the article here. LINK

That number isn’t abstract. It translates into damaged vehicles, higher logistics costs, delayed deliveries, increased accident risks, and a slow erosion of public trust.

 

Why Do Potholes Keep Coming Back?

The causes are not mysterious. They are painfully obvious:

 

Poor compaction during original construction leaves weak foundations.

Water infiltration from heavy rainfall undermines the sub-base.

Overloading by trucks and buses stresses roads beyond design capacity.

Poor drainage allows water to pool and erode surfaces.

Weak subgrade collapses under repeated loads.

Material fatigue from constant traffic produces cracks.

Inadequate maintenance lets small cracks grow into major failures.

 

And most critically, shoddy workmanship — contractors cutting corners, supervisors failing to enforce standards, and authorities tolerating repeated failures.

The Photo Speaks for Itself

                                                

 

What is obvious in the attached photo is that resurfacing is being done without addressing the underlying problems. Asphalt is simply laid over damaged foundations, hiding cracks temporarily but guaranteeing their return. This is cosmetic repair, not structural correction. It is the clearest evidence of a system more concerned with appearances than durability.

 

Risks in Sabah’s Context

Continuous repair cycles waste federal allocations, as poor workmanship means potholes reappear quickly.

 

Supervisors and engineers not held accountable allow contractors to repeat mistakes without consequence.

 

Retention sums not enforced remove financial penalties, letting contractors walk away unscathed while taxpayers foot the bill.

 

Public safety hazards mount as crumbling roads damage vehicles and cause accidents.

 

Investor confidence erodes when basic infrastructure remains unreliable.

 

The Bigger Picture

This is not just about potholes. It is about governance. A system that tolerates poor supervision, ignores accountability, and mismanages retention sums will never deliver durable infrastructure. Federal allocations alone cannot solve Sabah’s road crisis if the money is wasted on endless patchwork repairs.

 

Before Talking About Investors

Datuk Roger Chin speaks of attracting investors to Sabah. But what credibility do such promises hold when the very roads investors must travel are riddled with cracks and potholes, resurfaced without fixing the foundations? No serious investor will be convinced by glossy rhetoric while the infrastructure beneath their feet is crumbling.

 

Conclusion

Sabah must first fix its roads — literally and institutionally. Enforce retention sums, reprimand negligent supervisors, and hold contractors accountable. Stop the cosmetic resurfacing that hides problems instead of solving them. Only then can Sabah credibly invite investors and build a future on solid ground, instead of patching over the same failures again and again.

 

Have you experienced the frustration of Sabah’s roads firsthand? Share your stories below — the more voices, the harder it is to ignore.