KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will strive to intensify the momentum of development in the state besides uplifting its residents’ quality of life, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Chief Minister said much still needed to be done but as leaders entrusted with the task and a responsible government, they must continue to look after the people’s welfare by developing all sectors in Sabah.
In this context, he said, the government would focus on a host of development including on infrastructure development and utilities in rural areas; upgrading the communication network; quality of education, health, human capital development; providing affordable housing and poverty eradication.
“Besides that (the government) will also create more job opportunities, improve security and more importantly, stir up the economy which was clearly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“At the same time, Sabah has also spent more than RM2.39bil on development projects under the Second Rolling Plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) as of Sept 4 this year,” Hajiji said.
He added this constituted some 45% of the more than RM5.23bil allocated under the 12MP for a total of 1,118 approved development projects.
Hajiji said this in his speech in an investiture ceremony in conjunction with the Sabah head of state Tun Juhar Mahiruddin's official 69th birthday at the Istana Seri Kinabalu here on Saturday (Oct 1).
In wishing the Yang di-Pertua Negeri (TYT) for the grand occasion, he likened Juhar to the umbrella of unity for all people in the state irrespective of their faith, race and creed.
“Sabahans are lucky to come under the rule of the TYT who is always sensitive to the people’s welfare,” he said.
In congratulating those receiving their titles in this year's honour list in conjunction with this celebration, he hoped that this would spur them on to continue contributing to the state.
A total of 1,407 people were honoured with various state awards including nine receiving the Justice of Peace.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki was among the six recipients of the Seri Panglima Darjah Kinabalu (SPDK), Sabah's highest honour, which carries the title "Datuk Seri Panglima".
Other recipients of the SPDK were Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam, former Kota Kinabalu mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim, State Assembly Speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya, Sime Darby director Datuk Seri Lim Haw Kuang and Datuk Mohammad Noor Mansoor.
A total of 81 people have been conferred the state's second highest award, the Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu (PGDK), which carries the title "Datuk".
Among those were Hajiji's wife Datin Seri Juliah Salag, Deputy Finance Minister Yamani Hafez Musa, Sabah Police Commissioner Comm Datuk Idris Abdullah, the Army's Fifth Infantry Commander in Sabah, Major Jeneral Abdul Rahman A Wahab, Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) chief Deputy Comm Hamzah Ahmad, former Kota Kinabalu OCPD Senior Asst Comm M. Chandra and former Chinese consul-general in Sabah, Liang Caide.
Others are state Assistant Minister Flovia Ng, Sebatik assemblyman Hassan A Ghani Pg Amir, nominated assemblyman Jaffari Waliam, Sabah Immigration Department director Sitti Saleha Habib Yussof and State Education director Tah Nia Jaman.
A total of 131 people were conferred the Ahli Setia Darjah Kinabalu (ASDK), 246 the Ahli Darjah Kinabalu (ADK), 319 the Bintang Setia Kinabalu, 393 the Bintang Kinabalu while 222 received the Certificate of Honour.
Juhar also earlier in the morning attended a special event in conjunction with his birthday at the Padang Merdeka where various departments marched in his honour.
