CIQS complexes a priority for Sabah, says Hajiji

KOTA KINABALU: Issues relating to the construction of new Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) complexes in Sabah must be pursued, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

The Sabah Chief Minister said the development of the CIQS at Serudong, Kalabakan, and Bantul, Pagalongan, is a priority for Sabah and should not be delayed.

He directed the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia), which is the state authority responsible for border town developments, to continue pursuing the matter.

It was recently reported that the Kalabakan CIQS project had to be delayed due to inadequate funding from the federal Finance Ministry.

Hajiji, who is also Sedia chairman, issued the directive while chairing a Sedia meeting at Menara Kinabalu near here on Monday (April 5).

At the meeting, he was informed that the total development cost for the Kalabakan CIQS was RM815mil, of which RM600mil is for the construction of 39km of roads and RM215mil for the CIQS centre.

The CIQS development in Pagalongan, including road construction costs, would come up to a total RM509.4mil, he added.

Hajiji said the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Prime Minister's Department told the meeting that EPU has no objection to the project that was announced in the federal Budget 2020 but advised Sedia to pursue the matter with the relevant ministries.

Earlier, he said Sedia will carry out 30 initiatives under the 2030 Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) Action Plan as a catalyst for balanced growth throughout the state corridors.

He said the initiatives under the plan, which was also to counter the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, encompassed five strategic thrusts - business ecosystem, economy, human capital, social development and environmental sustainability.

The 2030 SDC Action Plan has been calibrated with the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), Malaysian Family Campaign and Wawasan Kemakmuran Bersama 2030 (WKB2030) as well as the state government's Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya, Hajiji said.

He said the transition to the endemic phase of the National Recovery Plan beginning this month will bring about a significant impact to various sectors, particularly the tourism industry in Sabah through the re-opening of Malaysia's national borders.

He said Sabah welcomed all domestic and foreign visitors to the state.

Hajiji added that Sabah will also continue to prepare state recovery efforts through several socio-economic development action plans.

“The state government has underlined 584 initiatives covering 304 initiative thrusts and 280 enablers focussing on the people's prosperity and economic development under the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya itself," he said.

The state government remains committed to enhancing the state development agenda, programmes and initiatives implemented under the 2030 SDC Action Plan to strengthen future development strategies, he said.

Hajiji said that as one of the regional corridor authorities, Sedia has an important role to facilitate stronger cooperation between the state and federal governments in encouraging balanced development in Malaysia.