Sabah’s Jalan Bulan binds two of the poorest districts and seven state seats in a shared struggle for roads, housing and basic services.

Along the fractured spine of eastern Sabah, the long, weather-beaten route running from Beluran into Kinabatangan and onward toward Bukit Garam and Lahad Datu is more than a transport link.

For many residents, it symbolises decades of neglect...