Rafiqah Dahali
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Maju Jaya initiative aligns with the Malaysia Madani concept which seeks to ensure Malaysia develops rapidly and is respected globally, says Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said Sabah was committed to catalysing the state's growth with an emphasis on three key sectors, namely agriculture, industry and tourism.
These sectors, he said, could boost Sabah's economy and draw investors to the country's second-largest state which would in turn create more opportunities for locals.
"Sabah is also placing great emphasis on developing human capital and improving the wellbeing of the people," he said in a speech at the Himpunan Perdana Rakyat event here today.
The event was also attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Hajiji said in the past two years, Sabah has attracted over RM12 billion in investments, creating thousands of jobs.
He said there was also no more room for new players seeking to enter the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park and Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park.
This is why the Sabah government is now in the process of identifying a location for a new industrial park, he said.
"The value of investments is expected to increase in years to come as many domestic and foreign investors have shown interest in investing in Sabah."
Hajiji also said Sabah's close ties to the federal government saw it forge a strategic partnership with Petronas in the form of a Commercial Collaboration Agreement.
The agreement will see Sabah play a bigger role in oil and gas exploration in the state.
Hajiji said the state government's efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty including by providing jobs to the poor in government agencies and government-linked companies has led to a drop in the number of hardcore poor households.
"We will continue this aggressive approach to eradicate hardcore poverty.
"However, there are still many poor people in Sabah who need help from the federal and state governments.
He also said the state government's plans to explore the Blue Economy, which refers to the sustainable commercialisation of marine resources, would help boost the state's economy.