TAWAU: Sabah has agreed in principle to the expansion of the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (ZIA) and have a larger area set aside for seaweed cultivation at Burst-Point, Sebatik waters here.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the move will improve the livelihood of the people here.
Tawau is the state's second largest producer of seaweed after Semporna. Burst-Point, fronting Nunukan, Indonesia has been found to be most suitable for high grade seaweed cultivation.
Currently, some 1,214 hectares have been cultivated, involving 57 local entrepreneurs. A total of 314 metric tonnes of seaweed, with gross sales value of RM2.4 million, were harvested during the first six months of this year.
Hajiji was briefed on the progress by State Fisheries Deputy Director Azhar Kassim.
He led a delegation comprising State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong; State Attorney-General Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof; Sabah Internal Affairs and Research secretary Datuk Awang Shahminan Awang Sahari; and State Lands and Surveys Director Datuk Bernard Liew, to the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border near here today.
Accompanying him were the Commander of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) DCP Haji Hamzah Ahmad, Sabah National Security Council Director Noor Alam Khan Abdul Wahid Khan and State Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Jauteh Dikun.
Hajiji also visited the General Operations Force security outposts at Burst-Point, Wallace Bay and Sungai Melayu, where he was briefed on security issues at the Malaysia-Indonesia border.