KOTA KINABALU: There have been many achievements under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan since it was launched by the state government in 2021, says Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan.
The Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) information chief said these successes had been documented and communicated through elected representatives as well as state ministries.
He dismissed claims from Sabah Umno’s Libaran MP Datuk Suhaimi Nasir that the public was kept in the dark over the SMJ development plan.
"Information (on SMJ achievements) have also been disseminated through government agencies like district offices, Community Development Leader Units (UPPMs) and government media units, including digital media," he said, in a statement here on Thursday (March 21).
The easiest way to access information pertaining to SMJ was through its official website https://smj.sabah.gov.my/.
"Had the Libaran MP spent some time searching for the information through the medium I stated, he would not have made the statement.
"The government has the responsibility to spread important information, so elected representatives like Suhaimi should know better before speaking out.
"I hope after this, Suhaimi and others in the Opposition can do some reading first before issuing baseless remarks," Nizam said.
Suhaimi, who was also Sabah Umno information chief, had on Wednesday (March 20) said the state government should explain to the people on the SMJ development plan which he contended had failed to resolve issues like basic infrastructure and poverty.
He further claimed the people had been asking what the state’s development plan had done for them since it was launched by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on March 20, 2021.
Nizam said the SMJ development plan for 2021-2025 had attained progress including in resolving basic amenities issues such as water supply and electricity.
On road connectivity, he said, the state was committed towards completing the Pan Borneo Highway project, adding other road linkages outside the project were also in the construction phase.
"The Sabah government is also trying to bring down the hardcore poverty rate by the year's end.
"Among the ongoing initiatives are providing assistance in terms of business capital, giving homes under the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya programme and securing job opportunities for the youth from hardcore poor families," he said.
Nizam noted that the government had also launched the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040 last September to help transition the state’s dependence on non-renewable energy sources to hydro power.
"Hydroelectricity is key towards renewable energy in Sabah. In 2022, the hydro capacity in Sabah was 102MW which only constituted some 4% of the total power generation in the state.
"To improve the capacity in Sabah, the RM4bil Ulu Padas hydroelectric project in the interior Tenom district was implemented," said the Apas assemblyman.
Once completed by 2029, he added, this facility will contribute some 187.5MW and also has the potential to supply some 6,000 million litres daily (MLD) of water.
On the water supply, Nizam said, the government has increased the capacity at the Telibong water treatment one and two plants from 130MLD to 180MLD.
This water supply would cover areas north of the state capital such as Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park and Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
"The government is also increasing the water supply capacity at the Kogopon water treatment plant in the Papar district to 80MLD to be supplied to Papar, Kimanis and further down south of Kota Kinabalu," he said, adding the project started five months ago and expected for completion in three years.
