KOTA KINABALU: The State Government will facilitate ease of doing business and create an investor-friendly environment in the bid to spur businesses as well as attract more investors to Sabah.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said this was in line with the State Government’s commitment to prioritise the State’s economic development and ensure successful implementation of the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (Development Plan 2021-2025).
He emphasised this at the meeting with the International Trade and Industry Ministry, Sabah Regional Office entourage led by Director Mohd Hijri Mat Rani at Seri Gaya here on Thursday.
Also at the courtesy call were senior officers of agencies under Miti namely Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) Sabah Director, Wong Tiang Sing, Malaysian External Trade Development Authority (Matrade) Sabah Director, Azlan Romlan, Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (Sirim) Sabah Director Rommella Osmand and Malaysian Industrial Development Finance (MIDF) Director, Sudirman Alwi.
Hajiji wants Miti to work closely with the state investment agencies including newly established Sabah Economic Advisory Council to attract domestic and foreign investors in view of Sabah’s huge potential coupled with its strategic position in the region.
During the courtesy call, Hajiji was informed that the investment approval volume in the manufacturing sector by Mida in Sabah was RM6.46billion for 15 projects in 2019 and RM11.86 billion for 12 projects for 2020 (January-September).
Meanwhile, Sabah’s trade volume (with international, Peninsular and Sarawak) from January to October 2020 was RM67.1 billion that is RM33.9 billion in exports and RM33.1 billion in imports.
Hajiji who is also Finance Minister stressed on the need to step up efforts to ensure several investment prospects currently under negotiation will materialise.
Among the investments were the vehicles battery components factory, glass manufacturing, port management and aerospace industry.
Once realised, these investments will create more than 1,500 job opportunities for the people of Sabah apart from direct and indirect returns in terms of million of ringgit to the State.
“I will monitor the efforts of all involved to attract investors to this state. I need to see the reports from time to time so that all the plans to develop Sabah’s economy will become a reality. We want the people and the State to benefit from it,” he said.-pr/BNN
Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor receiving a courtesy call from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Sabah Regional Office led by its Director, Mohd Hijiri Mat Rani in Sri Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, on Thursday.
