Sabah cabinet approves oil palm biomass industry policy

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah cabinet has approved the Oil Palm Biomass Industry policy, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

After chairing the Chief Minister's Department post-cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu here on Wednesday (Feb 7), he said the cabinet had also decided to impose a State Sales Tax on biomass exports pending the implementation of the policy.

"This is to control the export of biomass," he said, adding that a Sabah Oil Palm Biomass law would also be enacted to regulate the industry.

The policy will be enforced within two years from the date of its approval (after the palm oil industrial cluster (POIC) Sabah Biomass Collection Platform is fully operational) and under the purview of the state Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry.

Hajiji also told department heads under him that the Cabinet had taken note of the review of the management of the Urban Community Development Committees (JKDB) by the Local Government and Housing Ministry.