TENOM: The State Government has alienated nearly 40,000 acres of state land from the Sabah Forest Industry (SFI) concession area for kampung reserves, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.
“The GRS State Government has gazetted these kampung reserves, proof that is attentive to the needs of the people.
“At the last State Legislative Assembly sitting, we approved more than 40,000 acres of state land from SFI for this purpose” he said at the launch of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Kemabong election machinery at the Dataran Daerah Kecil Kemabong,near here today.
Hajiji said that under the GRS-led Stata Government, lands belonging to governmentlinked companies (GLC) were also alieanated and given to the people.
“We want the people to live comfortably. Under the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) one of its pillars is the people’s prosperity, so we prioritise the people’s welfare,” he said.
Previously, there were only about 30,000 people listed as recipients of welfare aides but under the present State Government, recipients have increased to 70,000, he said.
Hajiji said the State Government has also acquired much from the landmark Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) with PETRONAS, reiterating that Sabah now has greater say and bigger participation in the oil and gas industry.
“In the oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) sector, we now have more than 80local vendors involved in the oil and gas industry compared to just 10 in 2022,” he said, adding that these vendors now command 36 percent off the contract market share.
Hajiji said unlike the opposition, which played “revenge” politics when taking over the government, the GRS-led government focussed on bringing development and progress through the Hala Tuju SMJ 1.0.
“If the people returned the mandate to the GRS, we will continue the development under the Hala Tuju SMJ 2.0.
“We are not playing politics. We are not making empty promises, we have a developmentagenda while the opposition are ready to promise even the moon and sun,” he said.
Hajiji also confirmed Datuk Rubin Balang as the GRS Kemabong candidate in the upcoming 17th State Assembly General Election on Nov 29.
“With a solid machinery and full support from the voters in Kemabong, nsyallah Datuk Rubin Balang will win again in this election,” he said.-pr/BNN
