KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government is attentive to the people’s welfare and will continue to issue land titles to Sabahans, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
“The state government is receptive to the needs of the people and is committed to issuing land titles to as many people in Sabah because this involves the livelihood of the people irrespective of race, religion and political ideology,” the Chief Minister said.
Hajiji said this before presenting land titles totalling 132ha to 210 recipients under the Sabah Native Customary Land Service Programme, or Pantas, in the Kiulu sub-district, about 60km from here on Tuesday (Nov 1).
He also presented village reserve gazettes to 12 villages totalling some 83.2ha, approved by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-Barisan Nasional (GRS-BN) state government.
The villages concerned were Kampung Nadau, Bayag, Tiku, Logub, Lingga Baru, Parad, Gonipis Lama; Lingga, Poturidong, Mongkonihab, Tiong Tomburung and Sukang Baru.
“The Pantas programme has been implemented since 2011 and continued by the GRS-BN government,” he said at the Kiulu community hall.
Earlier, Hajiji launched the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kiulu sub-district office before attending a development briefing by assistant district officer Justin Ginduk.
“Congratulations to the Kiulu people because the sub-district office is something that they have been waiting for," he said.
Currently, the Kiulu sub-district office is utilising the community hall as its secretariat.
In view of the necessity, the Chief Minister approved RM5mil for the construction of the new Kiulu sub-district secretariat building on a 1ha site adjacent to the community hall.
Hajiji said the community in Kiulu no longer needs to go to the Tuaran district office or Tamparuli sub-district office for needs such as getting certification from the Commissioner for Oaths or conducting official government dealings as these can now be done at the sub-district office.
(Kiulu and Tamparuli come under the administration of the Tuaran district).
Similarly, in terms of development projects, the Kiulu sub-district office can now process documentations such as bill of quantities (BQ) and other work scopes.
Hajiji said, in fact, the Kiulu sub-district office can directly submit applications for project allocations to the relevant bodies.
“This is the government's aspiration to bring the best service to all people including in Kiulu," he said, adding that the construction of the sub-district office was also proof that the government was sensitive to the needs of the people.
Kiulu, he said, was well-known for its eco-tourism products with 70 private tour operators and communities registered with the Kiulu Tourism Association.
Besides that, he added, Kiulu was also a producer of hill padi, pineapples, rubber, cocoa, black pepper and fish through the tagal system.
A tagal system is a traditional community initiative to ensure the fish stock regenerates by not allowing fishing during certain periods of the year.
"Kiulu’s strength complements the state government’s Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya development thrusts in the tourism and agriculture sectors to drive our economic growth,” Hajiji said.
The Chief Minister also approved requests by Kiulu villagers for a high beam bridge as well as the construction and upgrading of several roads in the area.
Also present during the event were State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, State Public Service Department director-general Datuk Rosmadi Sulai, Rural Development Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Norlijah Danin and Land and Survey Department director Datuk Bernard Liew.
