Photo: Bernama
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is getting an immediate allocation of RM3mil for petty traders and minor repairs to infrastructure in Penampang.
The amount was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim following a request from Penampang MP Datuk Ewon Benedick during the Hawkers and Traders carnival in Buhavan Square Donggongon, Penampang, near here, yesterday.
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Of the total, RM2mil will be given for infrastructure repairs while traders will receive RM1mil.
“To prevent Ewon from saying that he wasted his time asking me to come here (Penampang), we will give some immediate allocations for what he requested,” Anwar told the crowd at the carnival.
Such swift approval is only possible due to strong relations between Sabah and the Federal Government, he added.
Anwar urged merchants to improve the quality of their services and products instead of just relying on government aid.
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“You must ensure that stalls are manned properly, that they are clean and attractive so that more customers will be attracted to come and spend,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that allocations to Sabah were smaller than that of Penang.
“Don’t listen to these baseless talks, they follow their own sentiments and sometimes twist their words for their own gains,” Anwar said, adding that his administration was working quickly to fulfil the Federal Government’s obligations to Sabah under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
