Hajiji promises to pursue Sabah rights on GRS’ 100 days in power

 

Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor says that the state government’s most important priority was to revive and stimulate Sabah’s economy. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: On the 100th day of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s (GRS) reign, Chief Minister Hajiji Noor pledged the coalition will continue to prioritise the pursuit of state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).

Hajiji, who is Sabah Perikatan Nasional chief, said this included the devolution of authority from the federal government.

“Besides the government-to-government committees on MA63, I am in touch with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin constantly on these matters,” he said, adding he would keep Sabahans informed of the progress from time to time.

He also assured the people that the GRS government had already implemented some of the nine points in GRS’ “Aku Janji” manifesto for the state election last September.

The “Aku Janji” pledges pertain to state rights, infrastructure, economy, employment, civil service, health, prosperity, education, human capital, security and youth and women’s development.

“The GRS government is committed to delivering on the other points, which require longer-term solutions, as soon as possible.”

Hajiji said the state government had allocated RM1.6 billion, or about 30% of the total 2021 state budget, for development projects and better infrastructure.

He said Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin, who is also state infrastructure development minister, was looking into speeding up the construction of the Pan Borneo Highway project.

“The government has also begun to look into introducing several programmes to equip the civil service to better serve the people.

“The most important of these programmes is the digitisation of the government system and the increase in human capital investment in the civil service.”

Hajiji noted that the GRS government’s most important priority was to revive and stimulate Sabah’s economy.

He said they would continue to help entrepreneurs who had been badly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In line with this, the Sabah PPBM chief said he had initiated the drafting of a five-year development plan for the state and the formation of the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC).

“I have also instructed the construction of a new economic model for Sabah that will provide long-term economic stability and growth for the state,” he said. - FMT