MUSA CREDITED WITH SANDAKAN'S DEVELOPMENT

SANDAKAN: Residents, particularly those who are aware of the destruction that Sandakan suffered during the Second World War, attribute the development and modernisation it now enjoys mainly to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

"He has the people's wellbeing at heart and always goes to the ground to meet the people despite his busy schedule," said Tinosa 2 Village Chief, Bidin Timbang, 64, echoing the favourable sentiments about Musa by villagers and members of the various local communities.

He pointed to the progress in his own village where basic amenities and infrastructure had been adequately provided for the people.

"The latest developments are a new secondary school, a mosque, a tarred road, a housing project and a national service training centre.

"And we are really thankful that because of Independence, we are free to move about anywhere in the country," he said.

Indeed, Sandakan's present status is a far cry from what it was reduced to in the pre-independence era.

Since the 1980s, new business and industrial initiatives such as Harbour Square and Harbour Mall which is complemented by a five-star hotel, Bandar IJM, Bandar Prima and Bandar Lee Tat Jaya, to name a few, besides housing developments have mushroomed in the district, as Chinese Chamber of Commerce Chairman Chia Hock Ak can testify.

"Sandakan's economy is growing - we have our assets in the tourism, manufacturing, transport, fisheries and timber industries.

These will also generate employment opportunities for the locals," he said.

Chia acknowledged that the independence achieved by the country had also enabled the Government to have a free rein in implementing development programmes for the people.

"So, we as the citizens must appreciate the meaning of independence, as otherwise a country in which the people do not live in peace would be unmanageable to develop," he said.

Situated in the centre of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Sandakan's development runs parallel to its status as the second biggest town in Sabah.

Since independence on Aug. 31, 1957 and Sabah's move to form the Federation of Malaysia on Sept. 16, 1963, the district has been getting its share of development through the State government with the support of the Federal Government.

Besides the burgeoning Palm Oil Industrial Cluster, Sandakan can boast of an education hub, which was initiated by the chief minister himself.

Musa, who is also the Sibuga State representative, was instrumental in the establishment of the Sandakan Education Hub situated at Jalan Sungai Batang, Batu 10.

Keenly aware of the importance of education in producing sufficient skilled human capital to spur development, he saw to the materialisation of two educational institutions which have already started operations, the School of Sustainable Agriculture under Universiti Malaysia Sabah and the Sandakan Polytechnic. The Mara Junior Science College is scheduled to be open soon. (Bernama)